AS THE COLORADO RIVER EXPERIENCES HISTORIC DROUGHT CONDITIONS-

THE STATE OF ARIZONA, WHICH DRAWS OVER A THIRD OF ITS WATER FROM THIS SOURCE, IS EXPLORING WAYS TO ADDRESS THIS PROBLEM.

CURRENTLY, THE TWO IN-STATE RESERVOIRS ARIZONA USES FOR ITS WATER NEEDS-

LAKE MEAD AND LAKE POWELL-

HAVE BOTH BEEN DEPLETED TO AROUND 33 PERCENT CAPACITY.

SO, THIS WEEK, ARIZONA OFFICIALS ADVANCED PLANS TO IMPORT BILLIONS OF GALLONS OF WATER INTO THE STATE FROM OUTSIDE ITS BORDERS-

AND ARE NOW INVITING COMPANIES TO PROPOSE VIABLE SOLUTIONS.

APPROXIMATELY 430 MILLION DOLLARS HAVE BEEN EARMARKED FOR THESE EFFORTS-

WHICH AIM TO BRING IN ABOUT 100 BILLION GALLONS OF WATER ANNUALLY TO ARIZONA.

THAT WOULD BE ROUGHLY 400 MILLION TONS OF WATER-

ABOUT THE SAME WEIGHT AS ELEVEN HUNDRED AND FORTY TWO EMPIRE STATE BUILDINGS.

THE STATE WILL NEED TO FIND A PROVIDER WHO CAN GET THE THAT NECESSARY WATER-

WHILE STILL REMAINING WITHIN THE ARIZONA’S FINANCIAL CONSTRAINTS.

THIS YEAR, THE STATE GOVERNMENT OFFICE HANDLING THIS SITUATION-

THE WATER INFRASTRUCTURE FINANCE AUTHORITY-

HAD ITS BUDGET CUT BY 500 MILLION DOLLARS, A DEVELOPMENT THE AGENCY SAID COULD NOT HAVE COME AT A WORSE TIME.

AN EARLIER PROPOSAL TO DESALINATE OCEAN WATER FROM THE GULF OF CALIFORNIA WAS ULTIMATELY ABANDONED DUE ITS FIVE AND A HALF BILLION DOLLAR PRICE TAG.

BY NEXT MONTH, ARIZONA PLANS TO BEGIN REVIEWING THE QUALIFICATIONS OF COMPANIES INTERESTED IN HELPING IMPORT ALL THAT WATER.

THE STATE HOPES TO COMPLETE THIS INITIAL PHASE OF THE PROCESS BY JUNE 2025-

BUT CAUTION THAT COMPLETING THE PROJECT IN ITS ENTIRETY COULD TAKE AS LONG AS 15 YEARS.

FOR STRAIGHT ARROW NEWS, I’M JACK AYLMER.