ADAWS opens door to water providers securing Assured Water Supply designations
Governor Katie Hobbs signed a proclamation on Tuesday, Oct. 7, celebrating the first implementation of the new Alternative Designation of Assured Water Supply Program
, commemorating a new pathway for increasing Arizona’s housing supply while at the same time maintaining the vital consumer protections of the State’s landmark Groundwater Management Act.
The designation to the water provider, EPCOR, represents the first 100-year Assured Water Supply designation in the Phoenix Active Management Area in 25 years. The designation will extend 100-year water supply protections within EPCOR’s service area, providing enough water for 60,000 new homes.
This program, dubbed ADAWS, represents the culmination of a challenging public stakeholder process that kept protection of Arizona’s groundwater supplies as a top priority,
said Arizona Department of Water Resources Director Tom Buschatzke.
The Director commended Governor Hobbs for her leadership in the effort to create the Alternative Designation of Assured Water Supply, and also congratulated his hard-working staff for the countless hours they contributed to making this alternative pathway to an Assured Water Supply a reality for participating providers.
The many stakeholders involved in this process have been intensely engaged and determined to find that next adaptation of water policy that allowed incremental, sustainable growth while protecting groundwater,
Director Buschatzke added. I heartily commend them as well.
The landmark achievement comes after years of work, including a rigorous and public stakeholder process conducted by the Governor’s Water Policy Council.
This ADAWS designation is going to save water, it is going to support sustainable economic growth, and it is going to create more housing,
said Governor Hobbs as she prepared to sign the proclamation at a celebratory gathering at a new housing development in Waddell on the far west side of metropolitan Phoenix, Avanti at Granite Vista by Elliott Homes. EPCOR is serving as the development’s water provider.
Today we are again demonstrating that Arizona can, and will, continue to grow our economy while protecting our water,
said the Governor.
When elected officials come together across party lines we can tackle the big problems that Arizonans face and get things done for the people of our state.
Shawn Bradford, EPCOR’s Senior Vice President of Regulated US Water, observed that the ADAWS program allows greater flexibility for utilities to leverage their water portfolios – a pathway for water providers like EPCOR to support sustainable development with a nearly net-neutral impact on Arizona's groundwater resources.
