Bill Text: AZ HCM2003 | 2025 | Fifty-seventh Legislature 1st Regular | Engrossed
Bill Title: Stormwater; groundwater; recharge; urging support
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Republican 1-0)
Status: (Engrossed) 2025-02-18 - Transmit to Senate [HCM2003 Detail]
Download: Arizona-2025-HCM2003-Engrossed.html
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House Engrossed
stormwater; groundwater; recharge; urging support |
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State of Arizona House of Representatives Fifty-seventh Legislature First Regular Session 2025
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HOUSE CONCURRENT MEMORIAL 2003 |
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A CONCURRENT MEMORIAL
Urging the department of water resources and the state land department to invest in groundwater recharge infrastructure in rural communities.
(TEXT OF BILL BEGINS ON NEXT PAGE)
To the Director of Department of Water Resources and the State Land Commissioner:
Your memorialist respectfully represents:
Whereas, according to the United States Geological Survey, over 95% of the rain that falls in this state evaporates from the soil or plants before it has an opportunity to recharge the aquifers in this state; and
Whereas, throughout this state, residents face challenges with groundwater and have urged the leaders of this state to take action; and
Whereas, from 2016 to 2021, the legislators of this state have passed legislation directing the Department of Water Resources and the State Land Department to identify sites for groundwater recharge infrastructure. The two departments, as a result of the state legislature's direction, identified over 300 sites across Arizona that could be used for groundwater recharge infrastructure projects that would increase the water supply across this state; and
Whereas, county supervisors, county flood control districts, municipal water providers, water improvement districts, natural resource conservation districts and other political subdivisions of this state have the authority to construct infrastructure that would increase groundwater recharge within each county and should explore developing stormwater recharge projects within their jurisdictions to increase water supplies; and
Whereas, in December 2023, the Water Infrastructure Finance Authority approved an application by the Mohave County Flood Control District for the construction of a new groundwater recharge facility in Hualapai Valley that will recharge groundwater in an area where runoff flows into the street system and evaporates before infiltrating the ground and replenishing the groundwater; and
Whereas private and public parties take proactive steps to increase groundwater recharge through groundwater recharge infrastructure projects.
Wherefore your memorialist, the House of Representatives of the State of Arizona, the Senate concurring, prays:
1. That the Department of Water Resources and State Land Department focus on increasing groundwater recharge through the planning and development of groundwater recharge infrastructure projects by:
(a) Supporting the Water Infrastructure Finance Authority and the Water Supply Development Revolving Fund.
(b) Developing the 331 sites that were identified by the Department of Water Resources and the State Land Department on state trust land for groundwater recharge infrastructure projects.
2. That, when private and public parties take proactive steps to increase groundwater recharge through groundwater recharge infrastructure projects, the Department of Water Resources and State Land Department take into consideration the increased groundwater supply from the projects in their models and decisions regarding the future health of a basin.
3. That the Secretary of State of the State of Arizona transmit a copy of this Memorial to the Director of the Department of Water Resources, the State Land Commissioner, each natural resource conservation district, each county flood control district, each county board of supervisors and each municipal separate storm sewer system in this state.
