Grand Canyon
GOVERNOR’S WATER AUGMENTATION, INNOVATION, AND CONSERVATION COUNCIL

The second track of the Arizona Water Initiative involved the creation of a Governor’s Water Augmentation Council that investigated long-term water augmentation strategies, additional water conservation opportunities, funding and infrastructure needs to help secure water supplies for Arizona’s future.  The role of the "GWAC" was expanded on January 31, 2019, by a new executive order by Governor Ducey. The new Council, which included many of the original panel's members, was charged further with investigating innovative methods of expanding the state's water resources, as well as targeting conservation efforts.

In the fall of 2016, four committees were created by Council Chairman, Tom Buschatzke, that would specialize in fields that either directly or indirectly affect water augmentation opportunities in Arizona. These fields included desalination, finance, recycled water, and long-term water augmentation. Each of the committees were chaired by Council members who volunteered for the position, and the committee members comprised of Council members, representatives of Council members, or individuals selected by the Committee Chair. The committees typically held meetings  every two months, which were open to the public, and the presentations and summaries for each meeting can be found below.

Governor's Water Augmentation Council

A role of the Council was to provide direction to the Director of ADWR, upon the Director’s request, on any issues that the Director determined may impact water management. The GWAC advocated for continued implementation of water conservation measures in all water use sectors throughout the state and made additional recommendations regarding actions to be taken by ADWR with respect to conservation. Among other things, the GWAC sought to identify augmentation opportunities as a means to resolve water resource conflicts or improve water supply availability to ensure legal certainty for water users and investors.

 

PAST COMMITTEE MEETINGS

GWAC Meeting

Friday, January 26, 2018 - 10:00am

Arizona Department of Water Resources

Meeting Agenda

 

*CANCELLED* Governor's Water Augmentation Council

Friday, December 8, 2017 - 10:00am

Arizona Department of Water Resources

 

*CANCELLED* Governor's Water Augmentation Council Meeting

Monday, October 2, 2017 - 10:00am to 12:00pm

Arizona Department of Water Resources

Meeting Agenda

 

Governor's Water Augmentation Council Meeting

Friday, April 7, 2017 - 10:00am to 12:00pm

Arizona Department of Water Resources, Third Floor Conference Room #3175, Phoenix, Arizona

Meeting Agenda

 

Governor's Water Augmentation Council Meeting

Friday, February 10, 2017 - 10:00am to 12:00pm

Arizona Department of Water Resources

Meeting Agenda

 

Governor's Water Augmentation Council Meeting

Tuesday, December 13, 2016 - 10:00am to 12:00pm

Arizona Department of Water Resources

 

Governor's Water Augmentation Council Meeting

Friday, October 28, 2016 - 10:00am to 12:00pm

Arizona Department of Water Resources

 

Governor's Water Augmentation Council Meeting

Friday, August 5, 2016 - 10:00am to 12:30pm

Governor’s Executive Tower

 

Governor's Water Augmentation Council Meeting

Friday, June 10, 2016 - 10:00am to 11:00am

Arizona Department of Water Resources

 

Governor's Water Augmentation Council Meeting

Friday, May 13, 2016 - 1:00pm to 3:00pm

Arizona Department of Water Resources

 

Governor's Water Augmentation Council Meeting

Friday, February 19, 2016 - 10:00am to 12:00pm

Arizona Department of Water Resources

Desalination Committee

The Desalination Committee continued to evaluate areas for feasibility of a desalination project and collaborated with local and regional stakeholders within the identified project area. It discussed funding opportunities with the Finance Committee and secured land and water contracts with the approval of Arizona Department of Water Resources.

 

PAST COMMITTEE MEETINGS

Desalination Committee Meeting

Monday, April 23, 2018 - 1:00pm to 3:00pm

Arizona Department of Water Resources

Meeting Agenda

Committee Meeting Video

 

Desalination Committee Meeting

Monday, January 29, 2018 - 1:00pm to 3:00pm

Arizona Department of Water Resources

Meeting Agenda

 

Desalination Committee Meeting

Monday, November 6, 2017 - 1:00pm to 3:00pm

Arizona Department of Water Resources

Meeting Agenda

 

Desalination Committee Meeting

Monday, September 11, 2017 - 2:00pm to 3:00pm

Arizona Department of Water Resources

Meeting Agenda

 

Desalination Committee Meeting

Monday, July 10, 2017 - 10:00am to 12:00pm

Middle Verde Conference Room

Meeting Agenda

 

Desalination Committee Meeting

Monday, May 15, 2017 - 9:00am to 11:00am

Arizona Department of Water Resources

Meeting Agenda

 

Desalination Committee Meeting

Wednesday, March 8, 2017 - 10:00am to 12:00pm

Arizona Department of Water Resources

Meeting Agenda

 

Desalination Meeting

Thursday, January 19, 2017 - 10:00am to 3:00pm

Bureau of Reclamation Office, Yuma

Meeting Agenda

 

Desalination Meeting

Wednesday, November 9, 2016 - 10:00am to 12:00pm

Arizona Department of Water Resources

 

Desalination Meeting

Tuesday, September 20, 2016 - 10:00am to 12:00pm

Arizona Department of Water Resources

Finance Committee

The Finance Committee was tasked with creating a timeline for establishing funding mechanisms for future water augmentation projects.

 

PAST COMMITTEE MEETINGS

CANCELLED: Finance Committee Meeting

Thursday, June 15, 2017 - 1:00pm

Arizona Department of Water Resources

 

Finance Committee Meeting

Monday, May 15, 2017 - 11:00am to 1:00pm

Arizona Department of Water Resources

Meeting Agenda

 

Finance Committee Meeting

Friday, April 14, 2017 - 10:00am to 12:00pm

Arizona Department of Water Resources

Meeting Agenda

 

Finance Committee Meeting

Thursday, February 16, 2017 - 1:00pm to 3:00pm

Arizona Department of Water Resources

Meeting Agenda

 

Finance Committee Meeting

Thursday, September 22, 2016 - 10:00am to 11:15am

Arizona Department of Water Resources

Long Term Water Committee

The Long-Term Water Augmentation Committee considered projected planning areas with the greatest imbalances to the least utilizing heat maps. This was followed by a budget proposal and overseeing the Request-for-Proposal process until its completion. Once a draft product was received, the committee was to hold local area meetings to review the proposed portfolio before final completion.

 

PAST COMMITTEE MEETINGS

Long-Term Water Augmentation Committee Meeting- Committee work session: Water Augmentation Study

Tuesday, February 26, 2019 - 10:00am to 2:00pm

ADWR, Middle Verde Conference Room, 4th Floor

Long Term Water Augmentation Committee Meeting Agenda

Committee Meeting Video

 

Long-Term Water Augmentation Committee Meeting

Wednesday, December 5, 2018 - 10:00am to 12:00pm

ADWR, Verde Conference Room, 4th Floor

Meeting Agenda

Committee Meeting Video

 

Long-Term Water Augmentation Committee Meeting

Thursday, October 18, 2018 - 10:00am to 12:00pm

ADWR, Verde Conference Room, 4th Floor

Meeting Agenda

 

Long Term Water Augmentation Committee Meeting

Thursday, June 14, 2018 - 1:00pm

ADWR, Verde Conference Room, 4th Floor

Meeting Agenda

Committee Meeting Video

 

Long-Term Water Augmentation Committee Meeting

Tuesday, September 19, 2017 - 1:00pm

Arizona Department of Water Resources

Meeting Agenda

 

Long-Term Water Augmentation Committee Meeting

Wednesday, June 14, 2017 - 10:00am

Arizona Department of Water Resources

Meeting Agenda

 

Long-Term Water Augmentation Committee Meeting

Wednesday, May 3, 2017 - 10:00am to 12:00pm

Arizona Department of Water Resources

Meeting Agenda

 

Long Term Augmentation Committee Meeting

Friday, March 3, 2017 - 10:00am to 12:00pm

Arizona Department of Water Resources

Meeting Agenda

 

Long Term Water Augmentation Meeting

Friday, January 27, 2017 - 10:00am to 12:00pm

Arizona Department of Water Resources

Meeting Agenda

Recycle Water Committee

The Recycled Water Committee recommended that the Arizona Department of Environmental Quality end the prohibition on direct potable reuse. It also recommended reevaluating the 50% accrual of credits for storage of effluent in managed recharge facilities.

 

PAST COMMITTEE MEETINGS

 

Friday, January 26, 2018 - 6:00am to 8:00am

Arizona Department of Water Resources

Meeting Agenda

Committee Meeting Video

 

Recycled Water Committee Meeting

Thursday, July 27, 2017 - 10:00am

Arizona Department of Water Resources

Agenda

 

Recycled Water Committee Meeting

Monday, May 22, 2017 - 10:00am to 12:00pm

Arizona Department of Water Resources

Meeting Agenda

 

Recycled Water Committee Meeting

Wednesday, March 29, 2017 - 10:00am to 12:00pm

Arizona Department of Water Resources

Meeting Agenda

 

Recycled Water Committee

Tuesday, January 24, 2017 - 10:00am to 12:00pm

Arizona Department of Water Resources

Meeting Agenda

 

Recycled Water Meeting

Monday, December 5, 2016 - 10:00am to 12:00pm

Arizona Department of Water Resources