Arizona water future hinges on diversification as Colorado River cuts loom
The Interior Department is poised to impose large Colorado River cutbacks—potentially up to 40%—on Arizona, California and Nevada, which could hit Phoenix-area water supplies hard. Officials say taps won’t go dry because cities are diversifying with groundwater, Salt River supplies, and programs like the Secure Water Arizona Program (SWAP) and water transfers. Cities are also pursuing storage projects, groundwater banking, and even potential desalination deals to weather a long-term shift to a drier baseline, with final cut sizes for 2027–2028 to be announced soon.