A new federal plan for managing the Colorado River cuts water deliveries to Arizona by 27% annually through 2028. These are mandatory restrictions that will primarily affect the Central Arizona Project, a system of canals delivering water from the river to the Phoenix and Tucson areas.
City officials are confident: household taps will not run dry. Phoenix and neighboring municipalities have been preparing for such a scenario for decades and have diversified water sources.
The main reserve is the Salt and Verde rivers, which already supply about 58% of Phoenix's needs. Additionally, they use groundwater and infrastructure built in recent years, including a "dry pipeline" costing 300 million dollars.
Private companies like EPCOR are also prepared: their pipeline systems allow water to be redistributed between sources, and access to part of the Colorado water is protected by long-term leases from Native American communities.
However, adaptation is costly. New projects — from wells to upgrades of treatment facilities — require billions in investment. These costs will ultimately fall on consumers.
In Gilbert, where 41% of water comes from the Colorado, bills have already roughly doubled since 2024. Similar increases are expected in other Valley cities.
How long can the balance between cuts and rising costs be maintained?
The two-year plan provides a reprieve, but after 2028, federal authorities reserve the right to deeper cuts — up to 40% of current volumes for the three lower basin states. City water managers emphasize: the decisions are known, but implementing them will cost even more.
