Buckeye mayor says steps are being taken to address water shortage

BUCKEYE (3TV/CBS 5) - The city of Buckeye is one of the fastest growing communities in the state, with new homes going up all over the place. But, there are concerns that there may not be enough water to keep up with the new developments.

“The fact is, we’ve overcommitted water,” said Governor Katie Hobbs. “It’s a big issue and there’s no easy answers to solving it..” Hobbs sounded the alarm in January during her state of the state address, releasing a report that said the West Valley’s water supply is 15% below where it should be.

Arizona’s Family sat down with Buckeye mayor Eric Orsborn on Wednesday. Orsborn wants to calm fears about the current water situation, saying steps are being taken to address the problem. ”We’re not in a crisis here,” said Orsborn. “Our water future is secure, we’re not in danger.”

According to state law, developers are not allowed to build subdivisions on land if they don’t have enough groundwater for 100 years. As a result, cities like Buckeye have been working with developers to find other water supplies to keep the growth going. This includes bringing in outside water sources or making a deal with neighboring Indian tribes.

“The message we are trying to get out is, we are bolstering our water portfolios to prepare for growth that’s coming forward, as well as working with the development community to bring in new water resources,” said Orsborn.

Hobbs has created a Water Policy Council devoted to protecting the state’s groundwater and finding new resources.

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