Arizona town with no water gets a temporary solution
RIO VERDE FOOTHILLS, Ariz. (CBS, KYMA/KECY) - It’s a story that’s making national headlines. On January 1, 2023, about 1,000 people who live in the Rio Verde Foothills had their water supply cut off by the City of Scottsdale.
On Tuesday, the Scottsdale City Council agreed on a proposal to treat water and deliver it to the community for three years. The news comes as a sigh of relief for the nearly 1,000 people living in the Rio Verde Foothills.
"Right now we're without most of our water supply. We have less than 40% of water for all the homes. So right now I'm using rainwater to flush my toilet," said resident Karen Nabity.
The agreement is contingent on the city getting additional water resources. If that happens, Scottsdale agrees to treat that water and make it available for delivery by Maricopa County to the Rio Verde Foothills.
"I know even with this temporary solution, the cost of our water will go up. But knowing the haulers can get to it when we need it will be huge peace of mind," said Jessica Nehlman, another resident.
Not a done deal
However, it’s not a done deal and the Maricopa County Board of Supervisors still has to approve it. It also comes with caveats.
If Scottsdale's water resources are reduced for any reason, including drought, Rio Verde Foothills will lose their access to water.
Plus, there are concerns over pricing, and stipulations limiting who gets access.
"Now I hope county being that they're the reason we're here, the attorney general's opinion shows that county does in fact have a responsibility in this," said John Hornewer, another resident.
Come to the table and negotiate
Maricopa County Supervisor Thomas Galvin also facing backlash.
This comes after releasing a statement, saying in part: "The county was not involved in drafting the terms of the proposed resolution and that the board of supervisors had not discussed the document drafted by the city of Scottsdale."
"There's another hurdle, but I expect Maricopa County and Supervisor Galvin to step up," Nabity added.
"County needs to come to the table and negotiate," Hornewer expressed.
