Arizona's Water Crisis: Limits on Development and Certificates Explained

Arizona is facing a severe water shortage due to overuse of water and drought, which means that some 4.9 million acre-feet of water will not be available to meet demand. As a result, new construction that requires the use of groundwater will be halted in the affected region. Arizona’s groundwater is stored in underground aquifers that take so long to replenish that the state rules require that planned homes or businesses reliant on them must be able to ensure water supply for the next 100 years. Climate change and drought are a constant background presence when it comes to Western water politics.