It was toilet water. Now, it will replenish our aquifer

The city of Maricopa is working with state and federal leaders to secure water resources and ensure a thriving and durable community, city officials said today.

Mayor Nancy Smith and City Manager Ben Bitter joined U.S. Rep. Greg Stanton (D-Ariz.) and Army Corps of Engineers Col. Andrew Baker this week to sign an agreement allocating $6.5 million for an aquifer recharge project in the city. The city joins forces with Global Water Resources in the project.

“The agreement will allow the city to quickly contract and construct this critical infrastructure project,” Smith said. “The city of Maricopa is the fifth fastest-growing city in the nation. As such, new and improving infrastructure is key to building out our city and ensuring we will have valuable water resources for many years to come.”

An aquifer is a layer of sediment or rock that is saturated with water. The naturally occurring phenomenon builds up a repository of water over time through rainfall. Changes to the landscape can restrict how quickly such aquifers recharge or retain water.

That is where this project comes in.

With the help of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and GWR, Maricopa’s aquifers will be replenished with treated water, storing water for the future. Such strategies will help make life in the desert more sustainable and better equip our community with the infrastructure it needs to support smart growth, city officials said.

“Global Water has a robust designation of assured water supply, but we must plan for the future,” said Jon Corwin, vice president and general manager of Global Water Resources. “The aquifer recharge project is the next step is total water management and this project will allow the storage of additional water for future use and promote continued prosperity for the city of Maricopa.”

Funding for the project was made possible by the Water Resources Development Act of 2022 , which authorizes the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to provide design and construction assistance for water supply, wastewater treatment, environmental restoration and surface water protection in rural communities.

Allocated was $19 million to projects in Arizona, with more than one-thirdrec of that earmarked for Maricopa.

“This means federal tax dollars our residents paid are coming back to Maricopa,” Smith said. “In addition, by bringing in federal support for projects like this shows we are taking action to minimize the need for residents to foot the bill as our city grows.”

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