Planning our water supply future

Recently I testified before Arizona Reps. Rick Renzi and Raul Grijalva and other members of the U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Resources, Subcommittee on Water and Power. I was in Washington D.C. to support stronger federal participation in water reuse and water recycling initiatives. Special thanks to Rep. J. D. Hayworth, member of the Committee on Resources, for showing his support during my testimony.

I have been working closely with our delegation to make them aware of this issue's importance. In my work with the city, I have developed an appreciation for the foresight and dedication needed to maintain the quality of life we now enjoy in our thriving metropolitan area of over 3 million people. Nowhere is this more important than in the acquisition and management of sufficient high quality water supplies for our desert community.

Over many decades, our federal, state and local leaders have ensured that the water supply needs of this rapidly growing region can be met - most notably through the acquisition of Colorado River water through the Central Arizona Project, as an additional source to Salt River project water. We realize, though, that the region's need for sustainable water supplies will extend far beyond the availability of this important supply, which took the better part of the last century to plan, litigate and construct.

Though we are fortunate to have access to imported water sources, advanced water treatment technologies and sophisticated infrastructure to serve our cities, our job is nowhere near complete. Our population is expected to double in the next 40 years, and there are no large imported water sources of the scale of the Central Arizona Project on the horizon.

As we plan our water supply future, it is clear that reclaimed water will be a key source, and one that could ultimately serve between one-quarter and one-third of the region's municipal water demand. Our ability to effectively utilize this supply will be highly dependent on safe and cost-effective means to treat and distribute the supply for a wide range of uses - including potable delivery. However, to get there, we will need stronger federal participation in the research and demonstration of expanded technologies.

The city of Phoenix currently operates three significant water reclamation facilities that together serve a population of over 2 million, and provide reclaimed water to area farmlands and for restoration of wildlife habitat at the city's Tres Rios River Restoration Project. The largest of these facilities is co-owned by Phoenix and four other cities, The city of Phoenix and our municipal partners in the Valley of the Sun continue to lead the way in planning and utilizing reclaimed water. An example is our effort to store highly treated reclaimed water underground. This will restore depleted groundwater supplies, provide a reliable source during surface water shortages, and provide a dependable future supply for our community. Numerous local parks and golf courses use reclaimed water, and we are continually identifying additional large institutional, industrial, commercial, and recreational customers.

The major sources of water to the Phoenix area are surface water supplies that are subject to periodic, but inevitable, shortfalls. Because reclaimed water is, by its nature, substantially drought proof, a solid water reclamation and reuse program can significantly reduce the impacts of these shortages. In addition, reclaimed water use should also help reduce the need for additional water treatment plant capacity and help us meet the state's requirement to use sustainable water supplies.

In summary, our reclaimed water supplies will become increasingly vital in order to sustain the high quality of life we enjoy in our desert communities, while attracting new residents to Phoenix. If you have any questions about water reuse and water recycling initiatives, or any other issues in District 2, don't hesitate to call my office. You are also invited to join me at my monthly Issues & Info breakfasts and learn about topics that impact your neighborhood and family. The next one is 7 a.m. Friday, May 16. I hope to see you there.

Phoenix City Councilwoman Peggy Neely represents District 2, which encompasses most of northeast Phoenix. She can be reached at (602) 262-7445 or via e-mail at council.district.2@phoenix.gov.