Arizona cities will likely get less Colorado River water. Here’s why they won’t go dry

Key Points:

• The federal government is expected to announce significant cutbacks of up to 40% in Colorado River water supplies for Arizona, California, and Nevada, with Phoenix-area cities likely to face substantial reductions starting in 2027.
• Despite the anticipated cuts, Phoenix-area cities have diversified water sources, including underground aquifers, the Salt River system, and water banking, enabling them to maintain water service without immediate shortages.
• Cities are investing heavily in infrastructure such as new wells, water recycling plants, and dam expansions to adapt to reduced Colorado River supplies, though these measures will increase the cost of providing water.
• The Secure Water Arizona Program (SWAP) aims to facilitate water transfers between cities with surplus supplies and those facing shortages, helping smaller communities avoid crises like the 2023 water outage in Rio Verde Foothills.
• Long-term solutions may include water rights transfers from farms and Native American tribes, as well as potential agreements to access desalinated water from facilities like the Carlsbad plant in California, reflecting a strategic shift to manage a permanently drier Colorado River basin.