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Senate passes groundwater-related bill after debate over assured water supply modeling
Summary
Senate approved a bill that affects groundwater/assured water supply processes; senators debated whether requiring the department to accept certain water analyses would undermine long-term water supply modeling and planning.
Senate Bill 11-14 — a measure touching groundwater and assured water supply procedures — generated floor debate focused on modeling assumptions and whether enabling certain analyses to be accepted by the department would undermine the state's long-range water accounting.
Senator (name in transcript: Dunne) defended the bill's intent, saying the assured water supply program is "instrumental in developing the hundred year supply." Opponents argued that accepting analyses without updated modeling could risk approving projects in areas with demonstrated long-term unmet demand.
Senator (opponent) raised the point that the Phoenix Active Management Area has shown unmet demand in prior modeling and warned that an approach requiring the department to accept certain analyses could weaken supply protections. Senator Dunne said technical tweaks to language were under discussion, but the measure as amended received a majority vote and was transmitted forward.
Ending: The bill passed the Senate as amended; proponents argued it supports development while maintaining existing modeling safeguards and opponents urged caution and further review.
