The status of Phoenix’s water supply

Arizona is facing a serious water shortage. One of which is about to escalate if things continue down this path. Fortunately, Phoenix has been hard at work mitigating the water shortage for years now with projects such as the drought pipeline. We spoke with Troy Hayes, Phoenix Water Services Director, and Cynthia Campbell, Phoenix water resources management advisor for more.

How is Phoenix approaching these water concerns?

Campbell: “When you’re talking about the Colorado River in the 24 month study that you are referencing, Phoenix has been preparing for this for many, many years. we have had a Colorado Resiliency fund since 2014, we have been investing in infrastructure for at least that long… It is kind of like the slowest moving freight train that is about to hit you. It is not good, but we have been working and preparing it for it for many years.”

As  far as infrastructure goes, what is the drought pipeline all about? 

Hayes: “As we analyze the drought, and looking at how Phoenix was positioned, what we had is a situation where we had water resources but not a way to move it around to the areas of Phoenix where we needed it. The way Phoenix was constructed, there was really a disconnect between the northern part of Phoenix and the Southern part of Phoenix. What we really has, a lot of our water resources to be flexible with and move around. So what we did is we moved ahead with a concept to put in a large water transition main. A 66 inch pipeline that runs up from the 24th Street water treatment plant, which is around the Biltmore area, up to about 33nd Street and Bell where we have other large transition mains and some other plants there… What that will allow us to do is to move the resources that the city of Phoenix has acquired over decades… to be able to move it up in those areas that may be challenged as we move ahead with the Colorado River issues.”

For more information on the Drought Pipeline project, click here: https://www.phoenix.gov/waterservices/dpp