Subcommittee hears baseline data and timeline for Prescott’s long‑term water management plan

City of Prescott staff told the Council Subcommittee on Water Issues on July 1 that they are assembling baseline data for a long‑term water management plan and targeting a draft timeline to meet grant requirements by December 2026.

Leslie Grazer, Water Resources Project Manager, said the long‑term plan will include a clear summary for the public with technical memos in appendices and that staff are prioritizing baseline supplies and demand analysis. "The grant needs us to have it done by, December 2026," Grazer told the subcommittee, and she said a rough draft will be needed around August–September 2026 to meet that grant schedule, while the council strategic plan lists a final completion target of July 2027.

Staff outlined the plan structure and preliminary findings. Grazer said the potable water system overlays four governmental jurisdictions — the City of Prescott, unincorporated Yavapai County, portions of Chino Valley and the Yavapai‑Prescott Tribe — and that most accounts and most delivered water are within city limits. Herb Dishlip (work cited by staff) and other analysts are establishing baselines for reservoir operations, recharge and recovery, the potential of imported water from the Little Chino area, advanced water purification, stormwater contributions and demand‑management options.

Key baseline findings presented include account and use patterns: from Jan. 1 through June 19, 2025, staff reported a provisional residential allocation of projects totaling 7.36 acre‑feet (six residential approvals) against a semiannual residential budget of 25 acre‑feet, leaving about 17.64 acre‑feet remaining for that budget period. The non‑residential semiannual budget was also 25 acre‑feet; staff reported eight approved nonresidential projects totaling 14.93 acre‑feet, leaving about 10.07 acre‑feet remaining for the period. Staff also noted that many newly established accounts are created prior to construction and occupancy, producing a lag between account counts and the volume of delivered water.

Grazer and the subcommittee discussed account growth trends. Staff said 292 new accounts were added in 2024 compared with a 10‑year average of 356 new accounts per year; previous projections filed in the city's "decision in order of assured water supply" assumed about 450 new accounts per year. Grazer cautioned that trends vary year to year and that planners should use modest buffers when forecasting demand.

Members asked for percentage breakdowns alongside raw numbers; Grazer said the draft materials include percentages and staff will restore them in the final materials for clarity. A council member also asked about anticipated water use for the Yavapai‑Prescott Tribe facility (called out in the presentation); staff said no application had been received through Community Development as of the meeting and that they would inquire with Community Development and Public Works about any projected demand.

Grazer said the project team will produce additional public‑facing fact sheets (baseline supplies, baseline demands) and a web page under "Water Resource Management" with opportunities for public participation; she asked for allowance of additional time to include full percentages and explanatory charts. Work funded in part by a grant will proceed with a draft for stakeholder review in summer/fall 2026, with continuing public outreach planned through the web page and social posts.