Arizona has announced that due to a lack of groundwater, it will no longer allow developers to build some new subdivisions in the Phoenix area. This decision is a sign of impending trouble in the West and other areas where overuse, drought, and climate change are straining water supplies. The state’s decision likely means the end of the explosive development that has made the Phoenix area the fastest-growing metropolitan region in the country.
Maricopa County, which includes Phoenix and its suburbs, gets more than half its water supply from groundwater. Most of the rest comes from rivers and aqueducts as well as recycled wastewater. However, groundwater is a finite resource, and it can take thousands of years or longer to be replenished. The announcement of a groundwater shortage means that Arizona will no longer issue new permits to construct homes that rely on wells for water in areas of Maricopa County.
Phoenix and nearby large cities, which must obtain separate permission from state officials for their development plans every 10 to 15 years, would also be denied approval for any homes that rely on groundwater beyond what the state has already authorized. This means cities and developers must look for alternative sources of water to support future development, such as buying access to river water from farmers or Native American tribes, many of whom are facing their own shortages.
The change will act as a signal to developers that the end of sprawl is near, according to Sarah Porter, director of the Kyl Center for Water Policy at Arizona State University. The state says it will not revoke permits that have already been issued and is instead counting on water conservation measures and alternative sources to produce the water necessary for approved projects.
A groundwater shortage would likely not derail planned growth in the short term in major cities like Phoenix, Scottsdale, and Mesa, as there is still capacity for development within designated cities. However, those cities would not be able to get approval to build any homes that rely on groundwater beyond that amount. The rush to buy water is likely to rattle the real estate market in Arizona, making homes more expensive and threatening the relatively low housing costs that had made the region a magnet for people from across the country.
“Housing affordability will be a challenge moving forward,” said Spencer Kamps, vice president of legislative affairs for the Home Builders Association of Central Arizona. He noted that even as the state limits home construction, commercial buildings, factories, and other kinds of development can continue.
The announcement of the groundwater shortage in Arizona is a warning to other areas facing similar challenges. Overuse, drought, and climate change are straining water supplies in many parts of the world, and it is essential to find sustainable solutions to ensure that future generations have access to this vital resource.
2023-06-01 16:53:15
Article from www.nytimes.com