Conflict about Water in U.S. State of Arizona

16 December 2009

After a series of articles on intensifying conflict about freshwater in developing countries, the Dutch daily 'NRC Handelsblad presented an article by Tom-Jan Meeus on the situation in Arizona. The article mentions several reason why fresh water is in short supply. Urbanisation, and subsequently tapping ground water reserves, has quenched watr springs like Del Rio Springs quite literally. Although activists believe all the ground water will be gone in 15 years time, new rural areas are planned nevertheless. One water manager is worried by the decline in snow by 90% over the last decade, too little to replenish underground stocks.
While the climate top conference is underway in Copenhagen, the article tries to illustrate the ambivalent attitude of America and many Americans towars climate and global climate measures. While the struggle over ground water is markedly intensifying, there is hardly any support for measures to lessen the influence of mankind on climate. There seems unli8mited trust that technology will solve any problem (which is quite logical since, until the recent economic crisis, desert state Arizona was proud to be the fastest growing state for years).
Researcher Michael Crimmens of the University of Arizona is cited in the article. He points out how the scarcity of fresh water has put more emphasis on the question of who own water resources. The example of the city of Prescott is presented. This pretty town is situated relatively high (and therefore dry). Because a great many well-to-do and mostly elderly citizens move there, the groundwater stock has diminished by 30% already. A solution was found in the city buying a ranch 50 kilometers to the North, further upstream of the Big Chino river. The groundwater there is to be pumped and transported through a pipeline to thirsty Prescott and Prescott Valley. But other communities and environmentalists are dead against this freshwater piracy.
Studies showing either the Big Chino to be, or not to be, the source of much of the water in the Verde river that serves as life vein to the capital Phoenix even further South, are used as ammonition.
Even among the activists, climate change isn't much of a subject. A far more decisive argument in discussions are cost. Building a pipeline is an estimated expenditure of 200 million dollar. Towns must involve companies to raise that kind of amounts. And companies will only be interested if they obtain the say over the precious commodity that freshwater has become. A great many citizens, however, fear a situation where big companies, in order to perform well on Wall Street have to maximise their profit on these citizens' former common property. Pointing at climate change, however, makes public support dwindle immediately, as activists and elected politician alike, are all too aware. The same factor, popularity, has caused the price of water to lag behind its scarcity. At the end of the article, therefore, Mayor Von Gausig is quoted sighing: "That's America. We want it all. But we don't want to pay for it."

source: Tom-Jan Meeus in Dutch daily NRC 12/13 december 2009