Back to Winter 2011 Newsletter
by Chuck Graf, Senior Hydrologist, Water Quality Division, ADEQ
The sound of the last keystroke to the Final Report of the Governor’s Blue Ribbon Panel on Water Sustainability has faded away. Governor Jan Brewer has been handed the report—on time—meeting the target date of November 30, 2010. A collective sigh of relief has risen from the many participants who contributed hours and ideas to the effort. Now, only a multitude of recommendations remain, queued for implementation.
In 2009, Governor Brewer announced the formation of the Blue Ribbon Panel to underscore water conservation and recycling as a priority to improve water sustainability and increase its visibility in Arizona. The Panel, jointly chaired by Ben Grumbles, ADEQ Director, Herb Guenther, ADWR Director, and Kris Mayes, Arizona Corporation Commission Chairman, held its first meeting on January 8, 2010. Forty members representing diverse water interests in Arizona—large and small cities, counties, agriculture, industry, Indian Tribes, environmental interests, Arizona universities, legislative leaders, and other experts in Arizona water issues—were appointed to the Panel.
The Panel set out its purpose as advancing water sustainability in Arizona by increasing reuse, recycling, and conservation to protect Arizona’s water supplies and natural environment. In pursuit of this purpose, Panel members agreed to provide recommendations on statute, rule, and policy changes that, by the year 2020 in Arizona, would significantly
- Increase the volume of reclaimed water reused for beneficial purposes in place of raw or potable water,
- Advance water conservation, increase the efficiency of water use by existing users, and increase the use of recycled water for beneficial purposes in place of raw or potable water,
- Reduce the amount of energy needed to produce, deliver, treat, and reclaim and recycle water by the municipal, industrial, and agricultural sectors,
- Reduce the amount of water required to produce and provide energy by Arizona power generators, and
- Increase public awareness and acceptance of reclaimed and recycled water uses and the need to work toward water sustainability.
Five working groups were formed, chaired by Panel members and open to the public to facilitate discussion of issues and involve the broadest spectrum of stakeholders and technical expertise. The working groups were created to explore
- public perceptions related to reclaimed water reuse quality,
- regulatory and policy changes to further promote reuse and recycling,
- reclaimed water infrastructure and retrofit best practices,
- conservation/efficiency and energy/ water nexus issues, and
- economic and funding opportunities, including both public and private mechanisms.
The five working groups were chaired by, respectively, Kathleen Chavez, Water Policy Manager, Pima County Regional Wastewater Reclamation; Ron Doba, President, Arizona WateReuse Association; Guy Carpenter, Board of Directors, National WateReuse Association; Steve Olsen, Executive Director, Arizona Municipal Water Users Association; and David Snider, Supervisor, Pinal County.
The chairs and working group participants accomplished a stunning amount of work in the few intervening months. Cumulatively, 58 working group meetings were held, involving some 320 individuals. The working groups brought forward for Panel consideration 40 separate issues. The Panel prioritized these to 26 issues and directed the applicable working groups to write “white papers” analyzing the issues and provide recommendations based on the analyses. The 26 issues addressed public perception, public education, research needs, regulatory impediments, efficient use of water supplies, expanded use of rainwater and stormwater, the interface between water and energy, funding and incentives, and more.
A summary of each white paper was prepared. The Panel reviewed the white papers and summaries and consolidated them into 18 sets of recommendations in five categories: education/outreach, standards, information development and research agenda, regulatory improvements, and incentives. The 18 sets of recommendations actually encompass a total of 63 separate sub-recommendations. All of these now move forward for consideration by the Governor, the Legislature, the Arizona Corporation Commission, ADEQ, and ADWR. A large proportion of the recommendations involve implementation by ADEQ and ADWR, which will challenge the two agencies in light of budget cuts that have reduced staff levels and program capabilities.
Although the Final Report contains too many recommendations to summarize, several recommendations involving data collection and management stand out because they crosscut all three agencies. Accurate information is essential to promoting a common understanding of Arizona’s water supplies and the extent to which water sustainability is being achieved. Development of rational policies and regulations that encourage use of recycled water while protecting public health and safety and fostering public confidence depends on appropriate, timely, and accurate data.
Currently, most generators and end users of reclaimed water submit data manually. This process is time consuming and often involves more than one permit or application. Data may be submitted in a report to one agency and the same data or data in a slightly different form may be required in another report or by another agency. The agencies store this information in paper files and multiple electronic databases, which are hard to access and often difficult to compare. This state of affairs creates administrative complexity and added costs for both the regulatory agencies and the regulated community and is not conducive to expanding the use of recycled waters in Arizona.
To address these problems, the Panel recommended that current technology be employed to streamline data submission and management as a means of reducing administrative burden and improving data quality. ADEQ and ADWR would initiate a process to review and revise permit and non-permit data submittal requirements for frequency, consistency, and relevance. Electronic data submittal to the agencies should be the norm, and the agencies should develop an electronic data management system that would be common and available to all regulators, permittees, contractors, and the public. The system also should incorporate the data needs of the Arizona Corporation Commission in support of their application process and reviews. The Panel recommended that the agencies utilize the expertise of independent information technology professionals as needed and share the cost of developing the data management system.
In the end, the Blue Ribbon Panel recommended no new regulatory programs or major reconstruction of existing programs. Instead, many less dramatic adjustments to Arizona’s existing toolbox of water management, education, and research capabilities are highlighted. The Panel concluded that current programs administered by ADWR, ADEQ, and the Arizona Corporation Commission constitute an exceptional framework within which water sustainability can be pursued.
Although implementation will take time because of the sheer number of recommendations provided by the Panel, a clear punch list now exists. As the agencies begin work on the list, resulting advancements in water conservation and increased use of recycled water will benefit all the citizens of Arizona and stand as a tribute to the dedication and intellect of the participants who contributed long hours to the Blue Ribbon Panel process. The Final Report of the Governor’s Blue Ribbon Panel on Water Sustainability can be accessed at http:/www.azwater.gov/AzDWR/waterManagement/BlueRibbonPanel.htm.