Lawmaker believes Rio Verde Foothills one step closer to water solution

PHOENIX — After weeks and not using a dependable supply of water, one lawmaker is hopeful that rural group Rio Verde Foothills might have an answer quickly.

State Consultant David Prepare dinner met with Scottsdale officers on Friday to debate the difficulty, and thought the assembly went nicely.

“I imagine we put collectively a proposal that may be a win-win for Scottsdale residents and the group of Rio Verde [Foothills],” Prepare dinner stated to KTAR Information 92.3 FM.

He pressured whereas there are nonetheless many conversations available and particulars to be labored on, he felt issues have been shifting in the suitable route.

The long-term answer would contain non-public utility firm Epcor, however the short-term proposal would supply an possibility within the interim.

“The short-term answer is discovering water exterior of Scottsdale’s Colorado River allocation,” Prepare dinner defined. “[Then] we are able to provide it to these residents by Scottsdale, without charge to their folks.”

He additionally has an concept for a possible water supply.

“The Gila River Indian group has stepped up with their Colorado River allocation that they’ve the rights to,” he stated. “They’ve provided up the acre-feet of water wanted to bridge the hole.”

Implementing this short-term plan received’t occur in a single day, so Prepare dinner proposed a extra speedy repair.

“I’ve requested for a 30-day window by which Scottsdale, in the event that they select to, would be capable to provide the water as they’ve prior to now whereas authorities will get its work carried out,” he stated. “That places the strain on us.”

The residents of Rio Verde Foothills could not have a solution to their water downside but, however Prepare dinner believes this assembly made that aim one step nearer.

“I’m very optimistic {that a} short-term and long-term answer will likely be discovered with all of the entities concerned,” he stated. “That is how authorities ought to work. It needs to be fixing issues for folks, not creating them.”