Water-insecure Southern Arizona residents are well aware of the region’s water scarcity and are already taking steps to conserve. What they’re asking for, according to a June 2026 report from the U of A’s Center for Regional Food Studies, is safe, affordable drinking water and greater transparency about how water is managed.

Nevada officials filed a lawsuit on August 24 challenging the federal government’s plan to deal with water shortages on the Colorado River. The plan, which was released on July 31 and officially adopted three days prior to the suit, includes heavy mandatory water cuts for the Lower Basin States of Nevada, Arizona, and California. No cuts were imposed on the Upper Basin States of Colorado, Utah, New Mexico, and Wyoming.

The WRRC is pleased to welcome four graduate students for the Fall 2026 semester. Rostam Cole, Lizeth Lopez, and Marjorie Robinson are new to the WRRC. Additionally, our 2026 Summer Outreach Intern Caroleine James is returning in a new role as a Graduate Research Assistant. She will assist with various research and communications activities, including writing for the Weekly Wave.

When the Center for the Future of Arizona (CFA) asked Arizona voters to choose from a broad list of issues the single top issue facing the state, more voters selected long-term water supplies than any other issue on the list. Water supply is a major concern across political affiliations and age groups.

Most days, the university's water system goes unnoticed. Employees fill water bottles, researchers conduct experiments, buildings stay cool and comfortable, and native plants thrive, all without a second thought. But behind each of those moments is a carefully managed network of wells, reclaimed water, monitoring systems and stormwater infrastructure designed to make every drop count.

On August 13, 2026, the WRRC hosted a Water Webinar, A Guide to Key Findings of the Arizona Tri-University Recharge and Water Reliability (ATUR) Project Report, featuring five researchers from the U of A, Arizona State University (ASU), and Northern Arizona University (NAU). Presenters included Neha Gupta, Kathy Jacobs, Caelum Mroczek, Abe Springer, and Tianfang Xu.

WRRC Director Sharon B. Megdal participated as an invited panelist at The Global Future of Southern Arizona: Partnership, Trade & Growth Luncheon on August 18, 2026, in Tucson. Hosted by Global Ties Arizona and moderated by Nicole Barraza, Vice President of the Southern Arizona Leadership Council, the event explored the partnerships, connections, and resources shaping the region’s future.

A new research article, published in the August 2026 issue of Groundwater for Sustainable Development, highlights the role water banking can play in strengthening groundwater supplies during drought and under a changing climate.