- EPCOR receives first 100-year water designation in 25 years.
- Program supports 60,000 new homes with groundwater safeguards.
- Governor Hobbs and ADWR celebrate policy milestone.
Monday, October 13, 2025 — Last week, Governor Katie Hobbs signed a proclamation marking the start of Arizona’s new Alternative Designation of Assured Water Supply Program
(ADAWS). The program provides a fresh pathway for expanding housing while upholding the state’s strict groundwater protections under the landmark 1980 Groundwater Management Act.
The first designation went to EPCOR, a private water provider serving communities across the Phoenix area. The decision represents the first 100-year Assured Water Supply approval in the Phoenix Active Management Area in a quarter century. The designation ensures that enough water will be available for 60,000 new homes within EPCOR’s service area.
Balancing Growth and Groundwater Protection.
“This program, dubbed ADAWS, represents the culmination of a challenging public stakeholder process that kept protection of Arizona’s groundwater supplies as a top priority,” said Arizona Department of Water Resources Director Tom Buschatzke.
Buschatzke praised Governor Hobbs for her leadership in developing the program and recognized his department’s staff for “countless hours” of work to make this new option possible for water providers. He also credited the many stakeholders who participated through the Governor’s Water Policy Council, describing their collaboration as “intensely engaged and determined to find that next adaptation of water policy that allowed incremental, sustainable growth while protecting groundwater.”
A Step Toward Sustainable Housing.
At a celebratory event at the Avanti at Granite Vista housing development in Waddell, Governor Hobbs emphasized that the program links water conservation with economic opportunity. “This ADAWS designation is going to save water, it is going to support sustainable economic growth, and it is going to create more housing,” she said.
She added that Arizona’s success in balancing growth and resource protection depends on bipartisan cooperation: “When elected officials come together across party lines we can tackle the big problems that Arizonans face and get things done for the people of our state.”
A Utility Perspective.
EPCOR’s Senior Vice President of Regulated US Water, Shawn Bradford, said the program gives utilities more flexibility to manage water portfolios responsibly. He described ADAWS as “a pathway for water providers like EPCOR to support sustainable development with a nearly net-neutral impact on Arizona’s groundwater resources.”
The Arizona Department of Water Resources and Governor’s Office describe the new program as both a technical and policy milestone—linking water management, land use, and housing in ways that reflect the realities of long-term drought and population growth.
FAQ
What is the Alternative Designation of Assured Water Supply (ADAWS)?
ADAWS is a new state program that allows water providers to demonstrate a 100-year assured water supply using alternative methods, as long as they meet the same consumer protections required under Arizona’s Groundwater Management Act.
Why is this significant?
This is the first 100-year water designation in the Phoenix Active Management Area in 25 years, representing a major policy advancement in managing growth while protecting groundwater.
Who received the first designation?
EPCOR, which serves multiple communities in the Phoenix region, received the inaugural ADAWS designation.
How many homes will be supported by this program?
The initial designation provides enough water for approximately 60,000 new homes.
What makes ADAWS different from the standard Assured Water Supply program?
It provides an alternative path for qualifying water providers, allowing flexibility in managing water sources while maintaining rigorous consumer and environmental safeguards.
