SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. – As state governments face a crisis over the Colorado River and negotiate over water rights, experts say local Arizona communities will need long-term strategies.

With a decades-long drought across the Southwest and declining supplies of water from the Colorado River, elected officials in Arizona have long been advocating for the state’s water rights. Before meeting with other governors and Interior Secretary Doug Burgum to negotiate Arizona’s allocation of Colorado River water, the Office of Governor Katie Hobbs released a statement calling for the need to protect Arizona’s share.

Water from the Colorado River is managed by the Central Arizona Project, delivering supplies across 336 miles to cities across the valley, including Scottsdale. According to the city of Scottsdale’s website, 70% of the water Scottsdale uses comes from the Colorado River. This year, there is a reduced allocation of water to Arizona because the Colorado River basin is in a Tier 1 Shortage.

“The drought has essentially been 20 years”, Central Arizona Project spokesperson DeEtte Person said. “The real crux of the issue is that we are talking about water from the Colorado River and we are in this period where the guidelines agreed upon are expiring in 2026.”

According to the city of Scottsdale Water’s Strategic Plan, the city needs hundreds of thousands of acre-feet of water stored in the aquifers below ground. As a result, government officials in Scottsdale and other municipalities need a long-term solution for providing adequate water for the growing population.

“There's a lot of pressure on the Colorado River, on the allocations to local municipalities such as the one I live in Scottsdale,” former member of the Scottsdale Environmental Advisory Commission Ryan Johnson said. “The bottom line is that cities are trying to do what they can to ensure a long term water supply because it's vital to economic development and continued growth”.

Scottsdale Water, the city’s municipal water utility, is providing new technologies for water planning and recycling. Scottsdale’s Advanced Water Treatment Facility treats recycled water and then recharges the aquifer with this treated water.

“Groundwater is finite. It's not going to be there forever,” Scottsdale Water Spokesperson Bryan Bouchard said. “We are looking at other every other opportunity that we have to acquire new water sources.”

Long-term planning for water usage in Scottsdale is important for the health of residents and the economic growth of businesses. Scottsdale Water’s Strategic Plan 2025-2030 includes a call to implement advanced purified water on a systemic basis by 2027 and Automated Meter Infrastructure Technology by 2030. The same plan states that Scottsdale Water will also propose to the Scottsdale City Council that the city invest in SRP’s Bartlett Dam and a City of Phoenix facility to draw on additional sources.

In addition to recycling and seeking new sources, Scottsdale Water offers tips and educational materials to help residents and local businesses conserve water supplies. For residents seeking a more fundamental understanding of water planning and usage, Scottsdale Water offers a Water Citizen Academy.