Scottsdale City Council approves water partnership with Rio Verde Foothills Standpipe District
Sep 5, 2023, 7:48 PM | Updated: Sep 6, 2023, 9:47 am
(Photo by Getty Images)
(Photo by Getty Images)
PHOENIX — The Scottsdale City Council passed an agreement Tuesday night giving Rio Verde Foothills a partner in their interim water solution.
The council approved an agreement with the community’s newly formed Rio Verde Foothills Standpipe District.
Under this agreement, the standpipe district will acquire water from one of Scottsdale’s water treatment facilities. Scottsdale’s own water resources will not be used.
The city will treat the water and make it available at the Pima Road Fill Station, where haulers contracted by the district could provide water for up to 750 customers in Rio Verde Foothills.
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Scottsdale’s agreement is with the district only, which may then contract with other parties as needed to supply water to Rio Verde Foothills customers.
The agreement ends on Dec. 31, 2025, according to the city of Scottsdale.
A lengthy fight for water resources
Rio Verde Foothills is located more than 30 miles northeast of Scottsdale in an unincorporated part of Maricopa County.
Its water comes from wells on the property and from water tanks filled by hauling trucks.
Scottsdale was the primary water supplier for those trucks for decades until 2023.
Water shortages and restrictions on the Colorado River supply caused the city to be stricter with its resources.
Homeowners in Rio Verde Foothills sued Scottsdale after their water supply was shut off on Jan. 1.
The community demanded access to the city’s supply which evolved into a months-long battle on a solution.
Several bills were introduced into the state legislature, requiring cities like Scottsdale to provide water to dependent communities like Rio Verde Foothills and creating a standpipe district to manage water agreements on behalf of the community.
Arizona Gov. Katie Hobbs signed Senate Bill 1432 earlier this summer allowing the rural community to form the standpipe district to secure water.
KTAR News 92.3 FM’s Luke Forstner and the Associated Press contributed to this report.
