Back to Winter 2011 Newsletter
Sharon Megdal Named Distinguished Outreach Faculty Professor
WRRC Director Sharon Megdal has received the Distinguished Outreach Faculty Professor award, which recognizes outstanding faculty members whose scholarshipbased outreach to the state, nation, and the world has demonstrated sustained excellence in the University of Arizona’s outreach mission. Through her work with the UA Water Sustainability Program, the Central Arizona Water Conservation District Board of Directors, Governor’s Blue Ribbon Panel on Water Sustainability, and Arizona-Israeli- Palestinian Water Management and Policy initiatives, Dr. Megdal has become known and respected for her extraordinary communication and consensus-building skills. Her ability to translate complicated policy issues to a diverse group of policy makers, academics, activists, and interest groups helps to forge both local and global solutions to the exceedingly complex water issues facing Arizona and the world.
New Residential Water Reuse System Does Not Require Permit!
There is a new small-scale water reuse system that the Arizona Department of Environmental Quality (ADEQ) has determined does not require regulation by the department. Called AQUS, the system reuses the water that goes down your sink to flush your toilet, saving fresh water for other purposes like drinking and bathing. This means condominium owners and others who want to use their graywater, but do not have a garden to water, can conserve water through indoor reuse. The AQUS system by Sloan Valve Company was named a 2010 Top 10 Green Building Products award winner by Sustainable Industries magazine. It also will earn a building rating points in the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) rating system and certification as environmentally friendly. The system currently costs $375 directly from the manufacturer and collects 10–20 gallons of water daily for an annual average water savings of about 5,000 gallons for a two-person household.
Water Settlements Approved for Arizona Tribes
Two Arizona tribes have approved water settlements in the past month.
Joe Shirley, president of the Navajo Nation, has signed an agreement that gives the tribe 31,000 acre-feet of water a year from the Colorado River Basin, any unclaimed flows from the Little Colorado River, and nearly unlimited access to the groundwater found in the two aquifers beneath the reservation. Critics feel that the tribe should not waive future water claims and should have demanded more, but Shirley has confidence in the negotiated deal. The settlement still needs to be approved by the Hopi Tribe, the State of Arizona, and Congress. Then, plans need to be put into place for funding legislation and implementation, so the final deal may still be years away.
On the other end of this cycle, the Senate has approved water settlements with a group of four tribes, including Arizona’s White Mountain Apache. This process has been pending, in some cases, for decades. The combined settlement totals $1 billion, for use towards safe drinking water systems and irrigation improvements.
Water Events Calendar!
The WRRC is now hosting a web calendar featuring water-related events at the University of Arizona, the greater Southwest, and relevant national events. Anything from an environmental brown-bag lecture to a major multi-state hydrological conference can be included. The calendar can be found through the WRRC homepage at http:// ag.arizona.edu/azwater/. Simply scroll down the “WRRC Features” section on left-hand side and click on the “Water Events Calendar” icon. Faculty, staff, researchers, students, and community members are all welcome to submit events to be included on the calendar. Event notices should be sent to wrrc@cals.arizona.edu and should include the name of the sponsoring organization, title, date(s), a short description, and contact information. A data form to submit events will soon be available on the WRRC website.
Central Arizona Project 2010 Board Election
In the recent board election for the Central Arizona Project, Tim Bray and Mark Lewis will continue their service. Newcomers include Frank Fairbanks, the former Phoenix city manager, Jim Holway, a former state water regulator and head of a land and water conservation campaign, and Cynthia Moulton, a retired registered nurse and library volunteer. Members of the Board of Directors are popularly elected from CAP’s three-county service area including Maricopa, Pima, and Pinal counties and serve staggered sixyear terms. The Board is responsible for establishing water policy for the Central Arizona Water Conservation District and usually meets twice a month.