New resort in Glendale’s Westgate area won’t be issue for water supply, city says

GLENDALE – A new water resort coming to the Westgate area in Glendale won’t be an issue for water supply as it will use less than the current agricultural land it is being built on, the city said.

The VAI Resort, which will be one of Arizona’s largest hotels once it is complete in Spring 2023, will feature a man-made beach and islands that use water from the Salt River.

“This is going to use less than 1% of our SRP (Salt River Project) portfolio,” Drew Swieczkowski, Glendale water resource manager, told KTAR News 92.3 FM.

Swieczkowski said the city currently has more Salt River Project water than they currently use, with only about 35% of their total being used.

“We like to call it renewable water,” Swieczkowski said. “It comes up in a watershed, it isn’t like groundwater.

“We get this renewed each year through snow-melt and precipitation.”

Though higher temperatures could affect the supply in the long term, Swieczkowski said Salt River Project models show that the resort is sustainable.

He added since the resort will utilize new technology and filtration systems, the pools will only need to be replenished due to evaporation.