On Oct. 20, Scottsdale City Council held a three‑hour study session titled “Scottsdale Water Resources Present and Future Discussion,” featuring a 50‑slide presentation by interim senior director of Water Resources Thyra Ryden‑Diaz, water policy manager Jill Brumand, and an outside water consultant. The briefing focused on the city’s reliance on the Colorado River, upcoming water‑use cuts, and the status of the city’s recycling program.
According to Scottsdale.org, Ryden‑Diaz warned that by 2027 the city anticipates a 17% reduction in Colorado River deliveries, a key source for the region’s water supply. She noted that Scottsdale’s “assured water supply” totals 141,341 acre‑feet, while the city typically consumes about 82,000 acre‑feet per year. Ryden‑Diaz added that roughly 58,000 acre‑feet remain in reserve, a figure councilwoman Jan Dubauskas later confirmed when she asked whether the city has “50,000 or 60,000 acre‑feet of water per year over the course of 10 years that we aren’t utilizing.”
Councilwomen Jan Dubauskas and Solange Whitehead offered contrasting interpretations of the data. Whitehead emphasized the looming cuts and urged the council to accelerate the water‑recycling system, stating, “The election’s over,” in reference to her primary victory. Dubauskas, meanwhile, highlighted the city’s water reserves, exclaiming, “We have a lot of water!” and questioning the need for immediate action.
During the public‑comment period, former councilman Raoul Zubia echoed Whitehead’s concerns, criticizing the presentation’s figures. Two additional water professionals also urged the council to follow the staff’s recommendations.
The presentation also addressed the proposed Bartlett Dam expansion and updates on the Harquahala Valley water purchase. It projected that moving from Advanced Water Treatment to Advanced Water Purification would cost between $7,000 and $8,500 per acre‑foot—figures Whitehead labeled “twice the cost of desalination.” She further challenged the claim that Scottsdale receives 141,000 acre‑feet of water annually, noting the city’s decade‑long water‑recharging efforts and a total storage figure of about 225,000 acre‑feet.
Mayor Lisa Borowsky expressed frustration that her specific questions about the long‑term cost per acre‑foot were not answered, calling the presentation “misleading.” City spokeswoman Holly Peralta clarified that in 2025 Scottsdale delivered 82,600 acre‑feet of potable water and 90,800 acre‑feet total, including reclaimed water, and that the roughly 58,700 acre‑feet difference between the assured supply designation and potable deliveries reflects additional supplies and stored water credits.
While no immediate policy changes were adopted during the session, council members indicated that the water‑recycling program and the Bartlett Dam expansion will remain topics of discussion in upcoming council meetings as the city prepares for the projected 2027 water cut.
Sources: scottsdale.org
