From advanced planning, resiliency and water certainty, leadership in Greater Phoenix is proactively looking for ways to strengthen water sustainability and resiliency to benefit our environment and economy.

Water sustainability & resiliency in Greater Phoenix

Published: 06/21/2018
Updated: 10/09/2019

A GPEC Ambassador event recap

Arizona is one of the driest states in the U.S., and one of the fastest-growing. This is just part of the reason that leadership in Greater Phoenix has taken a progressive approach to water management.

To gain a better understanding of our current water availability and strategic plans for the future, Greater Phoenix Economic Council (GPEC) held an Ambassador event featuring industry experts from Salt River Projects (SRP) and Arizona State University (ASU). With more than 60 attendees in the audience, we planned for a robust and informative conversation.

Christa McJunkin, Director of Water Strategy at SRP and Sarah Porter, Director of the Kyl Center for Water Policy at ASU, shared expert insights on water sustainability and resiliency:

Advanced Planning
As a collective, the state, cities, SRP and others have built a multi-year emergency water supply underground storing over 3 million acre-feet of reclaimed water and Colorado River water. Stored water in underground aquifers is intended to serve as a reserve supply to be used during periods of water shortages or drought.

From advanced planning, resiliency and water certainty, leadership in Greater Phoenix is proactively looking for ways to strengthen water sustainability and resiliency to benefit our environment and economy.

Resiliency
Metro Phoenix reuses or recharges nearly 100% of all wastewater, according to Central Arizona Project (CAP). Over the last 40 years, Arizona has transitioned from limited, non-renewing groundwater as a main source of water to renewable water supplies. This was made possible by passage of the 1980 Groundwater Management Act and the Colorado River supplies via CAP, which account for about a third of the Valley’s water supplies.

From advanced planning, resiliency and water certainty, leadership in Greater Phoenix is proactively looking for ways to strengthen water sustainability and resiliency to benefit our environment and economy.

Water Certainty
Water is an important factor for economic development and has always been a top consideration as site selectors consider locations for clients. From advanced planning, resiliency and water certainty, leadership in Greater Phoenix is proactively looking for ways to strengthen water sustainability and resiliency to benefit our environment and economy.

Are you interested in building a more vibrant economy in Greater Phoenix and helping to tell our region’s story? Become an Ambassador – learn more.