Within the next few weeks, a decision on a groundbreaking water policy will lay the foundation for how development occurs in Arizona.

It will affect growth across our state, as well as how critical water resources will be managed into the future.

After working at length with the Governor’s Water Policy Council and stakeholders like Arizona Water Co., the Arizona Department of Water Resources is proposing a change to the way water utilities secure a 100-year assured water supply.

This change will provide a significant step forward in helping utilities meet the state’s assured water supply requirements in a more comprehensive way for growing communities like Coolidge and Casa Grande.

There are currently two ways to provide an assured water supply under present regulations:

While the subdivision method worked in the past, this piecemeal system has made it increasingly difficult for Coolidge and Casa Grande to work with water providers on land use plans, zoning and other land entitlements.

That’s because assured water supplies granted to subdivisions remain fixed in time and space, offering little flexibility to guide........

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