Global Water presents annual report, outlines projects and rate-case phase-in after regulator approval

Global Water regional manager Eric Birkett and John Corbin, vice president and general manager, presented an annual report to the Town of Sahuarita council on projects completed in 2024 and planned work for 2025 across the Farmers Water System and the Global Water Saguaro (La Quinta/Serena) systems.

The presentation described community outreach and capital work in 2024 and projects planned or underway for 2025, including SCADA upgrades at 10 locations, advanced metering infrastructure (AMI) funded in part by a $1,600,000 grant, new generators at multiple distribution campuses, well rehabilitation, installation of metering valves at a standpipe, and a new lease and tenant improvements at a Samtec facility for operations staff.

The report matters because the utility’s capital and operational investments affect water reliability, customer billing and development capacity across parts of Sahuarita and nearby service areas.

Corbin told the council the company had filed a rate application about a year earlier; “the outcome was a 5 0, vote by the 5 elected commissioners to approve that rate application,” and Global Water volunteered a three‑phase implementation of the increase. Corbin said the phased increases start in May of this year, with further adjustments in November and the following May. He summarized the overall customer impact as “about $7 for the median customer,” defined in the slide as a household using roughly 3,500 gallons per month.

Presenters described specific 2024 accomplishments: a completed Farmers Water System master plan incorporating local specific plans; SCADA (Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition) telemetry upgrades for better operational visibility and alarms; procurement and installation of emergency generators (first at Serena Highlands distribution campus); purchase of a vector trailer to enable less‑invasive “soft digging” for valve and leak response; and a 10‑year lease and tenant improvement work at an 8,000 square‑foot Samtec facility for operations staff.

Planned 2025 investments noted included metering panel upgrades at a Saguaro/Las Quinta standpipe to reduce pressure surges during large draws, proactive rehabilitation of Well 6 (with a planned Well 7 next year), continued generator installations (Continental Water Distribution campus was named for this year), and engineering work on new treatment systems at the Sahuarita and Santa Rita distribution campuses. Corbin estimated treatment upgrades could total roughly $2,000,000 or a bit higher for upcoming work.

Corbin also reviewed customer support: Global Water promotes a customer assistance program it said provides up to $350 per year to qualifying households and indicated they will work with local assistance providers such as Valley Assistance Services and St. Vincent de Paul to help customers enroll. He also said the AMI grant offsets roughly $1.6 million of the approximately $2.0 million AMI project, reducing the rate impact on customers.

On water supply and growth, Corbin announced that Global Water’s Farmers systems obtained a designation of assured water supply (DAWS) from the Department of Water Resources, authorizing use of up to 5,306 acre‑feet per year; implementation began Jan. 1, 2025. He said membership in the Central Arizona Groundwater Replenishment District (CAGRD) and fee arrangements for recharge were part of meeting DAWS requirements and that some recharge will be provided by CAGRD on Global Water’s behalf.

Council members asked about specifics such as the generators’ electric providers (TEP vs. TRICO), metering valve flow settings (presenters said they expect to program valves to limit peak draw from roughly 700 gallons per minute to a lower setting, e.g., ~500 GPM, to reduce pressure fluctuations), and timing for projects. Presenters estimated some projects would be completed in the coming months while larger treatment upgrades and well work would be carried into 2025 with approximate cost projections discussed in the presentation.

The council did not take formal action on the presentation. Staff said the Farmers Water master plan and the franchise agreements between Global Water and the town have been executed and that Global Water submits an annual report per a 2022 memorandum of understanding with the town.

Ending: Council members thanked the presenters for the update and asked staff to coordinate outreach to local assistance organizations about the customer assistance program; Global Water staff said they would follow up with those groups.