A guide for voters on an important but often overlooked election race

In the upcoming November election, you will have the opportunity to vote for five new members to the Central Arizona Water Conservation District (CAWCD) Board of Directors. This election, though it may not be familiar to you, holds significant importance as it will directly impact one of our crucial water supplies. Your vote matters in shaping the future of Arizona's water management.

To raise awareness about the critical role of the CAWCD Board election in Arizona water, AMWUA, in collaboration with the Arizona State University (ASU) Kyl Center for Water Policy and the Arizona Hydrological Society, created the 2024 Maricopa County CAWCD Board Election Voter Education Guide . Each of the six candidates that will appear on your ballot responded to four questions, which are included in this guide. While it may not be a high-profile race, it is important to take the time to get to know the candidates and review their responses.

The CAWCD Board of Directors oversees the Central Arizona Water Conservation District, the official legal entity that oversees the Central Arizona Project (CAP). This 336-mile canal delivers Colorado River water from Lake Havasu to the Valley, including the ten AMWUA cities, and down to Tucson. The CAWCD Board is responsible for operating and maintaining the 30-plus-year-old CAP canal and for repaying the federal government for the construction of the CAP. The CAWCD Board sets water rates charged to CAP customers for delivery of Colorado River water. These customers include water providers throughout Maricopa County. The Board also establishes policies to protect the CAP system and the water it delivers.

The CAWCD Board also has the authority to levy up to 14 cents in property taxes for Maricopa, Pinal, and Pima counties. These taxes are used primarily to repay the Federal government for constructing the CAP canal and operating and maintaining the CAP system as it ages. This is a nominal amount for the long-term benefits that the CAP provides to Central and Southern Arizona.  

The Colorado River is a key water source for Maricopa County that CAP delivers to the Valley cities and other municipal water providers, tribes, industry, and agriculture. Unfortunately, the Colorado River is producing historically less water due to severe drought, an increasingly hotter and drier climate, and an imbalance between water supply and demand. The U.S. Bureau of Reclamation must respond to these conditions by implementing new operating guidelines for the Colorado River before 2027. This means less Colorado River water will be delivered to Central and Southern Arizona while CAWCD still operates and maintains an aging CAP system. This must be done while working to meet the needs of its customers, deal with volatile energy costs to move water uphill along the 336-mile canal, and meet the replenishment obligations of the Central Arizona Groundwater Replenishment District (CAGRD).    

The CAWCD Board is a 15-member non-partisan board with ten elected from Maricopa County, four elected from Pima County, and one from Pinal County. This year, only five seats in Maricopa County will be elected to six-year terms on November 5, 2024. 

The CAWCD Board will make important decisions impacting your future and Arizona’s. It is vital to have Board members who are active and engaged in all issues facing CAWCD and committed to the wise management of the CAP system. Therefore, every voter must make an educated decision on who will sit on the CAWCD Board for the next six years. Please take some time to review this 2024 Maricopa County CAWCD Board Election Voter Education Guide. Additionally, share the Guide with family, friends, and co-workers to help them better understand the importance of the CAWCD Board election. 

The complete CAWCD Board Election Voter Guide is available HERE .

For 55 years, the Arizona Municipal Water Users Association has helped protect our member cities' ability to provide their communities with assured, safe, and sustainable water supplies. For more information, visit www.amwua.org .