Preserve Golden Valley For Future Generations
Water Pumped From Ground Much Faster Than It Returns
Rio Verde Foothills (Maricopa County, Arizona)
Issue: This unincorporated community of approximately 2,000 homes northeast of Scottsdale faced a significant water crisis in January 2023 when Scottsdale cut off water hauling to the area. Rio Verde Foothills, a "wildcat" subdivision, was developed without securing a 100-year assured water supply, as required by Arizona law for subdivisions in Active Management Areas (AMAs). Developers exploited a loophole by splitting land into parcels of fewer than six lots, avoiding the need for a Certificate of Assured Water Supply (CAWS). As a result, the community relied on hauled water from Scottsdale, which was unsustainable during ongoing drought conditions affecting the Colorado River.
Impact: About 500 homes (1,000 residents) lost access to their primary water source when Scottsdale prioritized its own residents' needs. Residents faced skyrocketing costs for water from private haulers sourcing from other municipalities, and some had to skip showers or drive miles for drinking water. The crisis was exacerbated by poor planning and lack of municipal responsibility.
Resolution: The state negotiated a temporary deal involving a private water utility (Epcor) and Scottsdale to resume water service, but long-term solutions, such as Epcor drilling new wells or building infrastructure, are estimated to take 24–36 months and cost millions. This case highlights how overdevelopment without secured water supplies can lead to crises.
Plumbing Poverty in Phoenix
Issue: A 2024 study by the University of Arizona and King’s College London found an increase in Phoenix metro households without running water, rising from 5,800 in 2000 to 6,300 in 2021. This "plumbing poverty" is linked to unaffordable housing and the cost-of-living crisis, exacerbated by rapid urban development. While not directly caused by new housing overdevelopment, the strain on infrastructure and water resources in growing urban areas contributes to disparities in access, particularly for low-income households.
Thursday, August 14, 2025
Several communities in Arizona, Nevada, and California are facing significant water challenges due to overdevelopment, prolonged drought, and over-reliance on limited water sources like groundwater and the Colorado River. Many areas have experienced severe shortages, restrictions, or disruptions, particularly due to new housing developments outpacing sustainable water supplies.Rio Verde Foothills (Maricopa County, Arizona)
Issue: This unincorporated community of approximately 2,000 homes northeast of Scottsdale faced a significant water crisis in January 2023 when Scottsdale cut off water hauling to the area. Rio Verde Foothills, a "wildcat" subdivision, was developed without securing a 100-year assured water supply, as required by Arizona law for subdivisions in Active Management Areas (AMAs). Developers exploited a loophole by splitting land into parcels of fewer than six lots, avoiding the need for a Certificate of Assured Water Supply (CAWS). As a result, the community relied on hauled water from Scottsdale, which was unsustainable during ongoing drought conditions affecting the Colorado River.
Impact: About 500 homes (1,000 residents) lost access to their primary water source when Scottsdale prioritized its own residents' needs. Residents faced skyrocketing costs for water from private haulers sourcing from other municipalities, and some had to skip showers or drive miles for drinking water. The crisis was exacerbated by poor planning and lack of municipal responsibility.
Resolution: The state negotiated a temporary deal involving a private water utility (Epcor) and Scottsdale to resume water service, but long-term solutions, such as Epcor drilling new wells or building infrastructure, are estimated to take 24–36 months and cost millions. This case highlights how overdevelopment without secured water supplies can lead to crises.
Plumbing Poverty in Phoenix
Issue: A 2024 study by the University of Arizona and King’s College London found an increase in Phoenix metro households without running water, rising from 5,800 in 2000 to 6,300 in 2021. This "plumbing poverty" is linked to unaffordable housing and the cost-of-living crisis, exacerbated by rapid urban development. While not directly caused by new housing overdevelopment, the strain on infrastructure and water resources in growing urban areas contributes to disparities in access, particularly for low-income households.
Send Comments
Thursday, August 14, 2025
Staggering Collapse of the Colorado River. Water Monopolies Quietly Buying Up Water Rights“The Colorado River powers over 16 million families, 5 million acres of farmland, and $1.4T in economic activity,” Ken Berenger, the CEO and Co Chairman of Water on Demand Inc. wrote on X. “In 2025, it’s collapsing at an ALARMING rate. Since the government and media won't show you. Here's the story of America’s deadliest ticking time bomb...”
“Stretching 1,450 miles, the Colorado powers the Southwest,” he continued. “It supplies Phoenix, LA, San Diego & Denver. It irrigates 90% of America’s winter vegetables. It lights up Las Vegas through the Hoover Dam. Lose it, and the American West shuts down.”
“The stakes are massive,” he wrote. “Colorado supports 16 million jobs in farming, real estate, energy, and tourism. “If Hoover Dam fails, it won’t just be crops at risk. It’s homes, businesses, and entire economies. This is bigger than any oil shock in history.”
“The river is drying up. Since 2000, it’s lost at least 20% of its flow,” he continued. “Lake Mead and Lake Powell, its two giant reservoirs, are at historic lows. If they drop much further, the Hoover Dam stops producing power. The lights go out in Vegas, Phoenix, LA.” “This isn’t just climate,” Berenger went on. “The problem is baked in. In 1922, the Colorado River Compact promised more water to 7 states than the river ever produced. For 100 years, demand has been greater than supply. Now the math is catching up.”
“Farmers take the lion’s share,” he explained. "80% of the river goes to agriculture, alfalfa, almonds, lettuce, and beef. Cut farmers, and America’s food supply collapses. Cut cities, and growth stops. Every choice is catastrophic."
"Meanwhile, private firms are circling," he continued. "They’re quietly buying water rights betting on shortages. When supply collapses, whoever controls the taps controls the future. This is how water becomes oil 2.0."
"Colorado is just the beginning," he predicted. "From Michigan to Mississippi, America’s water systems are collapsing under drought, overuse, and privatization. "The West is simply the first domino to fall. "The U.S. government is scrambling for a solution.
"In 2023, states agreed to cut 3 million acre-feet of use. But scientists warn the river may lose another 30% by 2050," wrote Berenger. "The cuts are a band-aid on a severed artery. 40 states face freshwater shortages within a decade. "Every year, the U.S. loses 6 billion gallons of clean water from 250,000 pipe breaks.
"Today, water monopolies are using the same playbook, quietly turning collapse into dynasties," he continued. If America’s water collapse feels inevitable, it’s because we’re trying to fix a 21st-century crisis with a 20th-century model. The solution isn’t bigger government pipes. It’s building DECENTRALIZED systems that treat water where it’s needed—fast, secure, local."