Advocacy

SAWUA maintains a responsive and respected presence at the Arizona Legislature working with elected officials, senior appointed officials, and stakeholders to advocate for effective water policy, mitigating those measures that otherwise may potentially have adverse impacts and, when necessary, opposing legislation that would be detrimental to Southern Arizona or statewide water policy interests.

After the completion of the LBDCP, stakeholders continued to collaborate on long- term water policy and potential legislation for the 2020 legislative session.

The Governor’s Water Augmentation, Innovation, and Conservation Council continued to develop long-term strategies towards water desalination, long-term water augmentation, policies addressing Non-Active Management Area (AMA) groundwater, and to develop strategic solutions for water management challenges facing the AMAs beyond 2025.

Consistent with the statutory requirements of the Groundwater Management Act of 1980, the Arizona Department of Water Resources hosted workgroups for the 4th and 5th Management Plan.

Among the most notable private-sector venues was the Vetting Forum 4 Water discussions, coordinated by the Arizona Municipal Water Users Association and the Agri-Business Council, which focused on discussions for the 2020 legislative session. This forum benefitted from sustained participation by policymakers who engaged in public discussions on their respective water policy legislative priorities, thereby providing water policy stakeholders and elected officials with the opportunity to work through policy and implementation challenges well in advance of the 2020 legislative session. The roundtable discussion also created a mechanism for water policy professionals to outline their own water policy perspectives, thus creating a greater awareness for policymakers on matters impacting water resource concerns throughout the state.