PHOENIX — Governor Doug Ducey signed historic legislation Wednesday morning to protect Arizona's water.
SIGNED: Historic legislation that makes an unprecedented $1 billion investment to secure Arizona’s water future. We are taking a bold step to do what the men and women of Arizona hired us to do — position our state for success today, tomorrow and for generations to come. 1/ pic.twitter.com/wiadIt2g0h
— Doug Ducey (@DougDucey) July 6, 2022
In a tweet, Ducey called the legislation "crucial" for Arizona's continued growth and prosperity.
The plan invests $1 billion over three years to fund projects that will bring additional water to the state.
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It will allow the state to buy and own new water sources, provide loans and grants to water providers to develop infrastructure needed to import water, and puts money into conservation, efficiency and reuses, and new technologies.
Climate change and a nearly 30-year drought forced the move, which comes as Arizona faces cutbacks in its Colorado River water supply and more loom. The Central Arizona Project canal system is already delivering less water from the river to metro Phoenix, Pinal County and Tucson, and federal officials are warning of even steeper cuts soon.
“These challenges made it necessary for us to act,” the Republican governor said at a signing ceremony in the historic Capitol rotunda. “So today we are taking action to do what the men and women of Arizona hired us to do — position our state for success today, tomorrow and for generations to come.”
