Mesa water resources details budget increases, water‑supply projects and Bartlett Dam study share

Water Resources Director Joe Judice and Deputy Director Chase Carlile presented the department’s FY27 budget to council on April 16, highlighting recent investments, reliability metrics and near‑term project requests.

Judice opened by describing the department’s public purpose: to responsibly utilize Mesa’s water supply and provide water and wastewater services that preserve affordability, safety and reliability. He highlighted the recently completed central Mesa reuse pipeline; an exchange agreement with the Gila River Indian Community that allows Mesa to secure higher‑priority Colorado River water in exchange for treated effluent; a sewer‑line inspection program and a water recycler truck that staff said will save about two million gallons a year and improve operational efficiency; and an AI tool to accelerate video review for sewer inspections.

Deputy Director Chase summarized budget drivers: the water side proposes an increase of roughly $6.4 million driven primarily by the Signal Butte water‑plant expansion (adding five positions and operating costs), higher commodity and chemical costs, and a proposed $1 million increase for raw water purchases. Wastewater side proposed spending was described at about $50 million, a $700,000 increase largely tied to commodity costs, electricity for pumping and personnel merit increases.

The presentation included three requested enhancements: Mesa’s $144,000 share of a Bartlett Dam feasibility study to enhance long‑term supply reliability; $97,000 for a technical review tied to an SRP‑CAP interconnect (the staff term “skiff”) and related interjurisdictional quality analyses; and roughly $251,000 for compliance activities linked to EPA lead‑and‑copper rule revisions funded via the environmental compliance fee.

Judice and staff also shared KPIs: water/wastewater costs as a share of median household income (roughly 1% for a family of four), a sanitary sewer overflow target well below national averages, and system water‑loss measures where Mesa tracks below the state’s 10% target. Council asked about well sites in the east Mesa area, conservation stages (staff said Mesa is at Stage 1), and whether grants exist to offset lead/copper compliance costs (staff said no grants were identified yet). The department reported 318.5 FTEs.

What’s next: Staff said they will continue work on the Bartlett feasibility and interconnect analyses and will return with additional updates as federal and regional processes progress; the water budget will be folded into the FY27 adoption process in June.