Kearny mayor says town’s water supply should last through this year, but 2027 is questionable

The mayor of Kearny, a town located between Phoenix and Tucson, believes its water supply will make it through the rest of this year after implementing strict water restrictions and receiving some help from others.

Curtis Stacy explained to KTAR News 92.3 FM’s Outspoken with Bruce & Gaydos Tuesday that the situation started when, due to a lack of snowpack, the town received a 77-acre-foot apportionment instead of its typical 280 acre feet.

“We implemented stage five restrictions. The people in the town did an amazing job,” Stacy said. “They stretched that 77 acre feet. We currently have 44 acre feet left over.”

He added that due to San Carlos Lake going dry in June, as well as a recent fish kill, people who have water rights that pre-date and are senior to the town’s have stopped asking for water, allowing it to get priority water.

“Ultimately, it doesn’t impact our apportionment. And as long as they’re not asking for water downstream, we’re going to make it through this year,” Stacy said. “So we are not going to be uninhabitable.”

However, the mayor still gave the water crisis a fairly high rating of seven or eight out of 10, explaining that due to San Carlos Lake basically being at 0% capacity, Kearny is looking at a likely zero-acre-foot apportionment in January.

“We can stretch 77, but you cannot stretch zero,” Stacy said. “We’re working pretty diligently right now with the partners along the stream that could help clear a path to a legal solution for this for 2027.”

He added the town is also hopeful that this monsoon season, which has been more active than previous years, will help get water into the dam before 2027.

“But that hope is not a very good strategy. We want to be sure we have 2027 covered,” Stacy emphasized.

Governor chimes in on Kearny water situation

Arizona Gov. Katie Hobbs told KTAR News 92.3 FM that she has been in touch with Stacy regarding the town’s depleting water as recent as Tuesday.

She added that they’re working with stakeholders and other water users to secure a supply for the town.

“I want to be really clear. No Arizonan is going to run out of water on my watch,” Hobbs said. “This is an example of why I’ve been fighting so hard to give rural communities, especially, more tools to manage their water, so we’re not facing situations like this.”

Related

ASU professor wins United Nations award for using NASA satellites to map groundwaterCould Arizona communities share water during shortages? Phoenix is taking the first stepArizona university researchers study how to increase shrinking groundwater suppliesHow did last year’s Dragon Bravo Fire impact Grand Canyon water supply?Amid other struggles, Arizona farmers brace for more Colorado River water cutsScottsdale braces for Colorado River water cuts by looking for new sources