INCLUSIVENESS - DATA ESSENTIAL TO WATER POLICY

Opinion … Tucson, Arizona Published: 02.13.2008

Inclusiveness, data essential to water policy

Our view: Infrastructure inventory is a first step toward regional water decisions that must include all jurisdictions, groups.
The decisions Southern Arizonans make today about how to manage water will resonate for decades. It is incumbent on our leaders that they come together and look at water as a regional problem that needs a regional solution.
There are signs this may be starting to happen.

The Tucson City Council and the Pima County Board of Supervisors have instructed their respective top administrators, to draw up a plan for a comprehensive water study.

As we've noted before, deciding how to extract, use, recharge and recycle water is one of our community's the paramount problems. It can no longer be answered by individual jurisdictions, individual water companies or individual interest groups. Water requires a collective solution.

The question is not whether to but, how do we start the process?

I rise to salute the noble effort of our neighbors in Southern Arizona, specifically Tucson and Pima County for their forward progressive and inclusive decision to include all jurisdictions and groups into the development of their paramount water issues.

Sadly, this is not the decision implemented by our Governor, nor her ADWR or ADEQ respecting how they approach rule development. Our Governor, ADWR and ADEQ would sooner develop their rules behind closed doors and away from the public’s prying eye.

Our neighbors to the South are correct, the question is not whether to but, how do we start the process which honorably includes all the “stakeholders” especially – John Q. Public.

Hey, it’s your water, but if you remain silent they will give it to private corporate interests.