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February 21Rio Verde White Wing | Rio Verde atRio Verde Collegiate Chandra Mohan Lead Zips at Rio Verde February 22 | Women's Golf Thanks for visiting Sign up for our daily Newsletter and stay up to date with all the latest news You are receiving this pop-up because this is the first time you are visiting our site You are using software which is blocking our advertisements (adblocker) we are relying on revenues from our banners So please disable your adblocker and reload the page to continue using this site.Thanks over 2,000 families are grappling with the adverse effects of climate change on their subtropical crops facing a potential loss of millions of euros has endured five consecutive difficult seasons due to fluctuating temperatures and prolonged droughts This has resulted in a significant reduction in fruit yield and an increase in pest activity agricultural associations forecast that production will plummet to around 20% of typical levels The economic impact is expected to be severe with losses anticipated to reach millions of euros which normally produces about 100,000 tonnes of subtropical fruit annually The custard apple has shown resilience to the changing conditions thanks in part to its robust nature and manual pollination techniques avocado and mango crops have not fared as well with many farmers forced to remove infected trees to prevent further spread of disease Export markets are also expected to feel the impact with a decrease in the availability of mangoes which are traditionally sold across Europe The situation has led to widespread concern among growers many of whom are seeking financial solutions to mitigate the crisis the stable pricing of subtropical fruits offers a glimmer of hope for the future profitability of these crops Source: surinenglish.com FreshPublishers © 2005-2025 FreshPlaza.com February 23Rio Verde White Wing | Rio Verde Liptak Leads Akron in Final Round of Rio Verde Collegiate February 23 | Women's Golf (WTVF) — A new tequila company has launched in Nashville host Cristina Oakeley sits down with the Founder and CEO of Hacienda Rio Verde Tequila to talk about their company and why they established their company in Nashville Click here for more information about Hacienda Rio Verde Tequila One man is dead after confronting another man and his wife in Rio Verde initiated a confrontation with Thomas Griffin Griffin and his wife remained at the scene and cooperated with investigators The Sheriff's Office homicide unit was investigating the shooting Residents of Rio Verde Foothills left scrambling to find a water source earlier this year will get a reprieve under a bill Arizona Gov which she previously signaled she would support and 14 others on Monday while vetoing six measures on her desk Hobbs' veto stamp was busy again Friday and Monday after lawmakers returned from a summer break to hold two days of voting last week sending the Democratic governor a cascade of bills that wade into the culture war Her single-year veto record climbed even higher a reflection of divided government at Arizona's Capitol In a statement, Hobbs declared the Rio Verde water bill, House Bill 2561/Senate Bill 1432 Having been introduced by members of the Legislature's farthest right flank the bill passed with supermajority support "This bipartisan bill shows that when we put politics aside we can come together to solve problems for everyday Arizonans," the governor said I'm glad we were able to deliver relief for the residents of Rio Verde Foothills." The bill will keep water flowing to the Rio Verde Foothills subdivision for at least three years under terms of an agreement and a new government entity — called a standpipe district — that can enter into deals to help Rio Verde Foothills get water Scottsdale cut off Rio Verde from its water supply early this year leaving residents in a panic and teeing up what has become a prominent issue for lawmakers "Every single citizen within our state should have access to clean drinking water," Sen noting the "incredibly stressful and heartbreaking ordeal" experienced by hundreds of Rio Verde residents "I'm thankful our Legislators could come together in a bipartisan manner to get water flowing again for this community," she said "This is just one of several water issues I know we can tackle as a team at the Legislature to provide security to all Arizona residents." R-Scottsdale and the sponsor of a similar bill in the House that was merged with Wadsack's "The era of kicking the can down the road is over." we learned that they are also solvable," he said After Hobbs said last week she would sign the bill the Scottsdale city manager's office said in a statement it was "confident that this legislation protects Scottsdale residents and addresses the city's primary short-term concerns while placing the city back into a role as temporary provider of water for Rio Verde Foothills." The city will be paid for its role in treating water that goes to the Rio Verde subdivision Bill sent to governor: 2nd legislative solution for Rio Verde Foothills water woes heads to Hobbs' desk A prior version of the bill included a revamp of lot-splitting laws which aimed to stop what are called "wildcat" subdivisions but Hobbs said last week that loophole needed to be closed "Rio Verde is a perfect example of why this loophole shouldn't exist, and we need to address it," the governor told reporters, adding that she hoped her Water Policy Council would address the lot split loophole as part of its mission to evaluate and update groundwater laws Hobbs charged in her veto letter that those four bills were attempts to "criminalize free expression and ostracize the LGBTQIA+ community" by including language that could be "weaponized by those who choose hate over acceptance." despite the legislature's frequent attempts to pass legislation that says otherwise," the governor wrote Hobbs is expected to soon veto a GOP-backed plan to extend a half-cent sales tax for transportation projects in Maricopa County but has not yet done so. The Democratic governor made clear within minutes of Republicans passing the extension of what is known as Proposition 400 last week that it would die on her desk Reach reporter Stacey Barchenger at stacey.barchenger@arizonarepublic.com or 480-416-5669. Follow her on Twitter @sbarchenger This website is using a security service to protect itself from online attacks The action you just performed triggered the security solution There are several actions that could trigger this block including submitting a certain word or phrase You can email the site owner to let them know you were blocked Please include what you were doing when this page came up and the Cloudflare Ray ID found at the bottom of this page We’re not ready to solve the Rio Verde Foothills problem And no, I’m not talking about finding water for about 500 residents who will be left dry in roughly 120 days, now that the Maricopa County Board of Supervisors has rejected their request to form a domestic water improvement district I’m talking about the root cause that got this community north of Scottsdale into trouble in the first place even if we find a temporary fix to keep taps flowing will continue to drag this community and others into the dust Rio Verde Foothills is in an active management area which offers the state’s most stringent groundwater regulations That includes requiring subdivisions to prove they have a 100-year water supply before any homes can get built But a loophole in state law allows land to be subdivided into as many as five lots before it is considered a subdivision What next? Options for Rio Verde Foothills are running dry Most homes in Rio Verde Foothills exist because of these so-called wildcat lot splits though many are now struggling to produce enough water to sustain them Others have no access to water, other than a temporary arrangement to haul water from Scottsdale, which is cutting off that option at the end of the year because it is facing deep uncertainty about its water supply Similar water problems are cropping up across Arizona, on the outskirts of Phoenix, near Prescott and in communities like Strawberry and Pine. Growth continues unfettered in areas that are groaning under the weight of too many homes and not enough water to supply them You’d think that if we found ourselves in a hole like this we’d have the presence of mind to stop digging Yet the county governments that oversee these lands say they are powerless to stop wildcat lot splits because state law doesn’t allow them to turn down building permits solely based on their access to water Though counties could adopt more stringent zoning codes or overlays which could at least ensure that any new homes in water-challenged areas use as little of this precious resource as possible Convincing lawmakers to close this loophole may be even more of a longshot A bill to scale back but not end wildcat lot splits died quickly last session with no discussion Passing additional legislation to regulate growth in areas that lack the water to support it has long been DOA no matter how much constituents may plead for protection Finding water won't solve the ultimate problemWith a water improvement district now effectively off the table a private water utility may be able to bail out residents for a while presuming the corporation commission approves its offer to help and the company can find additional water to sell them.  That won’t be quick. EPCOR says it could take at least two years to drill a well in the area and construct a standpipe – long after the water for some residents runs out It’s unclear where water would come from in the interim (or how long water from such a well would last given the area’s groundwater challenges) Nor will it be cheap. EPCOR is already warning that any water delivered to Rio Verde Foothills will be significantly more expensive than what it provides to New River residents who lost their sole source of hauled water from Phoenix a few years ago Until we better connect land-use decisions with our water reality Real-estate agents will continue to gloss over the water implications with prospective buyers (“But it’s in such a desirable location And starry-eyed homeowners will keep signing on the dotted line blissfully unaware that their taps are flowing on borrowed time Reach Allhands at joanna.allhands@arizonarepublic.com. On Twitter: @joannaallhands If you love this content (or love to hate it – hey, I won't judge), why not subscribe to get more 2020There's a talented sibling trio from Houston known as Los Luzeros de Rioverde have released three albums and travel the country playing Norteño music for audiences of thousands It was YouTube that first helped them develop a huge following Their mom started posting videos of the kids performing and they went viral They are super cute and really talented.HOUSTON Texas -- There's a talented sibling trio from Houston known as Los Luzeros de Rioverde but play their instruments at the same time On July 4, 2020, Los Luzeros de Rioverde will be performing as part of the city's virtual Freedom Over Texas celebration ARIZONA NEWS 12:00 PM | Updated: 1:00 pm The rural community of Rio Verde Foothills has a long-term water solution after a standpipe was approved Nov BY DANNY SHAPIRO PHOENIX — The Arizona Corporation Commission approved a utility company’s application to construct a standpipe for water service for Rio Verde Foothills on Wednesday giving the rural community near Scottsdale a long-term solution The move gives Rio Verde Foothills a clear water future after years of uncertainty that started when the city of Scottsdale decided to reevaluate their agreement due to increasing drought conditions which had relied on Scottsdale for years for its water has been getting its water hauled in from private companies at high costs since their agreement ended Jan Some residents had been living on only rainwater since 2023 started political and jurisdictional turf fight that was completely unnecessary,” Maricopa County Supervisor Thomas Galvin told KTAR News 92.3 FM on Wednesday “But I got to give a lot of credit to our staff here at Maricopa County and also to the Corporation Commission.” The company does most of its work out of Canada but had been a leading service name as Rio Verde Foothills worked toward a solution The standpipe’s creation will provide water to about 1,000 residents in the unincorporated community Construction will take about two years. An interim solution has been in place since June after Arizona Gov. Katie Hobbs signed Senate Bill 1432 The bill created a standpipe district that provides water for Rio Verde Foothills Galvin is hoping the standpipe will be ready by the start of 2026 “If that is an issue that will come up on the horizon … that will be something that will need to be addressed,” Galvin said “But hopefully everything will be able to get done in time.” Galvin said that Rio Verde Foothills residents are thrilled to have closure on the issue “These are folks that I’ve been working with since day one … these are folks are very grateful and very happy and this is the outcome that they wanted,” Galvin said KTAR News 92.3 FM’s Balin Overstolz-McNair contributed to this report Follow @DannyShapiro13 Have a story idea or tip? Pass it along to the KTAR News team here located just east of Scottsdale in Rio Verde recently welcomed John Hardin as the club’s new Director of Agronomy Hardin will oversee the private club’s agronomy team and maintenance of Rio Verde Country Club’s two 18-hole championship golf courses Hardin has 20-plus years of experience in the golf industry including multiple years as an assistant golf professional After receiving certification in turf management from Mount San Jacinto Community College in San Jacinto he served as an assistant superintendent at Moreno Valley Ranch Golf Club in Moreno Valley he became head superintendent at Moreno Valley Ranch he moved to Arizona to become superintendent at Oro Valley Country Club in Tucson He most recently served as the golf course superintendent at Omni Tucson National former home of the PGA TOUR Champions’ Cologuard Classic.   “We’re excited to welcome Director of Agronomy John Hardin to the leadership team,” said Rio Verde Country Club General Manager and Chief Operating Officer Anthony Paino “John’s background is a great fit for Rio Verde and his skillset is the right mix of leadership  The Board of Directors and I are confident in his ability to succeed in his endeavors to increase the quality and presentation of the White Wing and Quail Run golf courses while taking care of his substantial golf course maintenance team and started playing golf at age 12 – he has been hooked ever since He currently has a two index and enjoys playing whenever he can When not playing golf or maintaining golf courses Hardin enjoys boating on Arizona’s waterways and spending time with his wife “I look forward to serving in my new role as Director of Agronomy at Rio Verde Country Club,” said Hardin “This is a lifetime opportunity for me and my family and I am thrilled to offer my professionalism and expertise to the club I get to take care of what I get to play on.” Rio Verde Country Club is professionally managed by Troon Privé, the private club operating division of Troon. For more information about Rio Verde, visit www.rioverdearizona.com or call 877-746-8373.  About Rio Verde Community and Country ClubLocated between the eastern foothills of the McDowell Mountains and the Tonto National Forest Rio Verde Country Club is a private 36-hole golf club in Rio Verde the private club operating division of Troon Members who reside in the Rio Verde community enjoy unlimited access to dining and events Full membership is also available to non-residents and provides unlimited access to tee times competitive real estate prices and tranquil location Rio Verde appeals to primary and vacation homeowners. Comprised of custom-built homes townhomes and villas in a wide range of prices master-planned enclave with large lots highlighted by golf course Media Contact:Rob MyersTroon480.477.0506rmyers@troon.com Rio Verde Foothills residents on Tuesday evening kicked off another community meeting — the third in three weeks they had a new potential plan on the table: a proposal from Rep who represents the community in the Legislature he endeavors to create a new type of government entity that could enter into agreements to help the community get water "The end idea is called a standpipe district," Kolodin said Unlike the water-taxing district previously proposed by some community members the standpipe district's power would be limited solely to creating and executing a temporary agreement to get water to the Foothills His proposal comes as the community has been in search of a fix for its water woes for more than a year without success in large part because neighbors — and the involved governmental entities Maricopa County and Scottsdale — cannot agree on a common solution Residents need a short-term agreement to temporarily provide them with water as a long-term solution is hashed out The quest for an immediate fix has become more urgent in recent months after Scottsdale cut off the community at the start of the year Kolodin believes his idea might be palatable to both factions of the divided community he made clear that his proposed legislation is a work in progress She is the first Democratic lawmaker to appear at a Rio Verde Foothills gathering on its water issues suggesting that Kolodin might secure bipartisan support for his proposal if he is willing to include some extra provisions around the enforcement of lot splitting laws on unincorporated county land That may reduce the number of homes illegally built by so-called "wildcat" developers without a reliable water supply "I'm hoping we can get this done in the next week or so," Terech said Kolodin will need bipartisan support to get his proposed solution in place before summer when heat will increase water usage in the community Buy-in from the city and county would help Maricopa County Supervisor Tom Galvin said he doesn't have a formal position on the bill but will "wait and see." Scottsdale Mayor David Ortega declined to comment on the idea of a standpipe district Kolodin will need to convince long-feuding neighbors to get on the same page He must do so in the face of another new plan "If people start hearing from people in the community 'We don't like this solution,' we're done," Kolodin said Comparison: How water bills stack up in Scottsdale vs. Rio Verde Foothills as cutoff continues Rio Verde Foothills residents are largely split into two camps: those who supported the idea of a water-taxing district They never were able to reconcile the difference It has now come to define how different factions see the community's water issue right down to the government entities they blame for their plight The proposal to create a water-taxing district was defeated in August when the Maricopa County Board of Supervisors unanimously voted it down After overseeing months of discussion among neighbors citing concerns about the long-term viability of the district and its potential costs But since the company is regulated by the state the plan first must go through the Arizona Corporation Commission The residents behind the taxing district have argued that if it were approved by Galvin they would have worked with Scottsdale to find short-term options to bring water into the community have pointed to internal emails from Scottsdale officials that show they previously considered a temporary agreement with the company but pulled the plug over concerns about continued growth in Rio Verde Foothills That argument bled into discussions between Scottsdale officials, who have been vilified by those seeking an Epcor solution, and county leaders, who have been widely bashed by those in favor of the taxing district. Fledgling negotiations between the two parties, held only after a series of informal talks facilitated by Rep fell apart just weeks after they started in mid-February Kolodin framed the idea of a standpipe district as a minimal form of government and a different type of solution than the previously proposed water-taxing district would only establish the district for a year-and-a-half The proposal would also give property owners the option of staying out of the district and limit the district's powers to creating an agreement with Scottsdale to provide the community with water at least it's only for a year-and-a-half," Kolodin said he faced some resistance Tuesday night from residents in favor of an Epcor plan and concerned with government overreach "Who's to say that somebody couldn't go into the Legislature in the next legislative session and petition them to extend the life of the standpipe district or give it more powers," asked Rio Verde Foothills resident Cody Reim Griffin's proposal would obligate cities to continue serving water to communities like Rio Verde Foothills and require them to include the option of contracting with private water companies in their drought management plans That aligns with a petition Reim and other Epcor plan proponents have pulled together asking state lawmakers Katie Hobbs and Attorney General Kris Mayes to mandate Scottsdale enter into an agreement with the utility to temporarily provide the community water A different petition being circulated by those in support of the taxing district had 309 signatures as of Tuesday morning That one asks the Maricopa County Board of Supervisors to resume conversations with Scottsdale officials toward a potential temporary solution Volunteers were still taking signatures as residents entered and left Tuesday's meeting Kolodin and Griffin will need to move fast to get either of their plans enacted Most legislative committees wrap up their work Thursday so the lawmakers will need to get their draft legislation in front of them soon for consideration they can try to put their bills before the Senate Appropriations Committee which can hear legislation after other committees stop doing so Griffin's bill includes an emergency clause and Kolodin said he will also seek one for his legislation That would require a supermajority of the Legislature to pass the legislation but would eliminate the 90-day waiting period for new laws to take effect Republicans have a narrow majority in both chambers — enough to get legislation to the governor's desk but not enough to enact an emergency clause without bipartisan support Terech and her Democratic colleagues want to see mechanisms put in place likely through the Arizona Department of Real Estate to better enforce existing state law around lot splits on unincorporated land anything Kolodin or Griffin manage to get passed would come too late to help the community through the summer some residents fear the community may find itself in even more trouble I see a whole lot of hope but not a whole lot of progress," said John Hornewer a Foothills resident and a commercial water hauler "Once the temperature gets into the triple digits Sasha Hupka covers Maricopa County, Pinal County and regional issues for The Arizona Republic. Do you live on unincorporated land and have a story to tell? Reach her at sasha.hupka@arizonarepublic.com. Follow her on Twitter: @SashaHupka The 48-year-old food service worker has worked at Parmelee for a year and has been with the school district for 16 years. She makes $16.91 an hour and feels like she is “basically working for benefits,” she said. She said she has not had a raise in about five years. “They pay us too low for the work that we do,” Gasca said. The cafeteria is “very short staffed,” she said. She works 6.5 hours a day and would welcome more work — but the district said there are no more hours available, she said, even though the job must get done. “They say they don’t have enough hours for us. We’ve got to hustle. We’ve got to feed the kids regardless.” New hires, she said, come in making the same or higher wages than what she makes, even when she trains them. California Los Angeles Unified School District workers walk out in a strike expected to last through Thursday. Joining her on the line, for instance, was Elina Velasco, 37, a senior food service worker who has worked in the cafeteria for a year and makes $18 an hour. It’s all too little, they say, for work that is nonstop. They said there are only three workers in the cafeteria — and when someone calls in sick, there are few substitutes. The women said they prepare about 700 breakfasts — which are placed in bags that students take to class — and about 800 lunches and more than 100 suppers. They cook — including making hundreds of cookies from scratch — fill the plates, do the dishes, clean the kitchen, take the students’ names and input them in the computer system, serve the meals in line. For about eight months, one of their two stoves was broken, and a refrigerator finally got long-overdue repairs, they said. The nation’s second-largest school district ground to a halt Tuesday as 30,000 service employees — joined in sympathy by about 30,000 teachers — walked off the job to begin an anticipated three-day strike in demand of higher wages. It’s an often invisible role, despite the hard work, because they rarely leave the cafeteria. Case in point: When the women arrived at the protest, a few people asked who they were. “We’re in the cafeteria. We’re at the bottom of the food chain,” Velasco said. Still, Velasco said, the support through the strike feels good. About two dozen employees marched in the rain with them on Tuesday in the Florence-Firestone neighborhood, getting a few honks from passing cars on an otherwise quiet morning. Despite the campus offering child care, only a handful of students arrived. When striking workers pulled up to the locked employee parking lot, they were greeted by an administrator who told them that if they didn’t work, they couldn’t park there, one striking worker said. Erika Rioverde, a 39-year-old parent resources liaison at Parmelee Avenue Elementary who makes $15 an hour, came with her 13-year-old son, Christopher Ortiz, since his campus was closed, too. Her 6-year-old son, who attends Parmelee, was with his grandmother. Many strikers had similar struggles to find day care for their own children in the district. “We’re the parents of the kids we service,” said Rioverde. What are child-care options when LAUSD schools close for a strike along with some city parks and even campuses helps run English as a second language programs and health classes for parents She is also the homelessness liaison at the school Rioverde grew up in this neighborhood and has been working on this campus for nine years helping parents with remote learning technology and the parent portal “I don’t get to go to school,” said Christopher who attends an LAUSD middle school campus closed during the strike He said his family doesn’t eat at restaurants much because of money and he plays baseball and needs better equipment that she can’t afford Rioverde said she was frustrated the district put out information about the closed campuses so late — on Monday. She knows firsthand that it’s hard to find child care at the last minute, and the families she serves are working families. At about 8:15 a.m., Cynthia Salazar walked up to Parmelee with her 8-year-old son, sighing as she dropped him off at the site’s day-care program. She left him at the school’s auditorium, where Beyond the Bell staff were watching kids for the day. At that point, her son was one of only three students. A young boy in a Spider-Man jacket and another in a white hoodie sat at desks, quietly looking at laptops. Salazar understood the struggle for better wages and tenuous balance of work and day care. She had to rush home to get dressed for work at a nearby grocery store, where she gives out food samples. “They closed the schools. For me? It’s a big problem,” said Salazar. Hailey Branson-Potts is a Metro reporter who joined the Los Angeles Times in 2011. She reports on a wide range of issues and people, with a special focus on communities along the coast. She grew up in the small town of Perry, Okla., and graduated from the University of Oklahoma. Politics Climate & Environment Subscribe for unlimited accessSite Map In just 16 days, a tony desert community northeast of Scottsdale is going to run out of water There are a lot of people to blame for the taps that are about to spit out dust in Rio Verde Foothills for being dumb enough to build their houses in a place that has no guaranteed water supply for quietly approving thousands of building permits and never raising a stink about a state law that prevents it from considering the availability of water You know who’s not to blame for the disaster that is about to befall Rio Verde is not to say that Mayor David Ortega and his elves shouldn’t fire up their red-nosed Range Rover and fly to their neighbor’s temporary rescue Ortega is sounding more Scrooge than Santa DWID is done:Supervisors reject Rio Verde Foothills water district proposal the serenity of silence and a lifestyle about which most of us can only dream Or it was, until last year when the city of Scottsdale notified them that it plans to stop supplying water for hauling to customers who live outside of Scottsdale on Jan About 500 of Rio Verde Foothills’ 2,000 homes depend upon that water it was an understandable decision by Scottsdale and Scottsdale is more dependent than other cities on the Colorado River water that flows through the Central Arizona Project Rio Verde Foothills and Maricopa County Supervisor Thomas Galvin have spent the last year trying to come up with a solution though it would be two to three years down the road and likely would require the area to continue to use Scottsdale’s treatment facility and pipes has asked the Arizona Corporation Commission for permission to serve the area though it hasn’t yet figured out where it would get the water The immediate problem is what happens in 16 days when the rest of us are lifting a glass and saying Happy New Year It won’t be so happy when they turn on the taps in Rio Verde Foothills and a gila monster drops into the sink He’s a tad … how shall I put it … frustrated with Ortega’s “hard no” on a short-term plan to continue providing water “Maybe he wants these people to die on Jan “I don’t know how you can sell people a valuable resource like water then just wash your hands of it.” Scottsdale makes money and Rio Verde doesn’t turn into a tumbleweed both because he questions whether Scottsdale would ever get that additional water and because he objects to the “inconvenience” of having water trucks rumble through his city’s streets Then there’s his philosophical opposition to supporting a community that never should have been built He says the county has approved approximately 450 housing units just since he and Galvin started talking in 2021 and several thousand more before that We have the best of the best working and they’re saying oh we’ll throw you a nickel for your trouble,” Ortega told me We do not want them suckling off our water supply.” I agree with Ortega about the state’s urgent need to actually require that there be water in a place before allowing people to build their dream homes – except for one thing The Rio Verde Foothills community was built and real people are about to get hurt unless Ortega sets aside his righteous indignation and flexes just a little 3 things that must happen nowScottsdale should relent for a few months and allow water to continue flowing forth to Rio Verde Foothills residents but only with the understanding that three things must happen: Scottsdale should give them until June 30 to come up with a solution The county and Rio Verde have had a year to work it out and in six months they’ll probably be back to Scottsdale pleading for more time lest their houses become million-dollar dust bowls of a guy who once said something about mercy and compassion “I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink …” Reach Roberts at laurie.roberts@arizonarepublic.com. Follow her on Twitter at @LaurieRoberts Support local journalism: Subscribe to azcentral.com today Rio Verde Foothills residents will have a new source of hauled water by the end of September after the Scottsdale City Council unanimously approved a short-term water agreement at its Tuesday night meeting The agreement comes after months of uncertainty for the community located just east of Scottsdale in unincorporated Maricopa County It was left without a reliable source of water after Scottsdale cut off its supply in January City officials cited concerns about ongoing drought conditions on the Colorado River The community's standpipe district, established in June by state lawmakers had already approved the agreement on Saturday Tuesday's unanimous thumbs up by Scottsdale's City Council was the last major hurdle Rio Verde Foothills needed to jump in order to secure some relief for its residents after nine months of water woes the residents of Rio Verde Foothills will have a water source that is not Scottsdale’s water source,” said Councilmember Solange Whitehead praised Mayor David Ortega for leading the charge on crafting the agreement that will remain in place until the end of 2025 The people who made the call: Who is on the Scottsdale City Council? What to know about the members The council agreed to make two small changes to the proposed deal before the vote One would require the standpipe district to put together a plan to mitigate traffic impacts caused by water transportation trucks Another removed the deal's one-year extension option City Attorney Sherry Scott said neither change will delay the plan's rollout “This agreement is a great deal for Rio Verde It solves the problems that they had and gives them the assurance of a water supply,” Vice Mayor Tom Durham said “It’s also a great deal for the city of Scottsdale because it disentangles us from supplying (our own) water (indefinitely).” Here's what to know about the long-awaited deal The agreement looks almost identical to one that Scottsdale officials pitched in February to county supervisors, who rejected it Mayor Ortega pointed that out ahead of the vote by criticizing the Maricopa County Board of Supervisors which he accused of failing to appropriately address the issue sooner “(Those) deal points and the stipulations that we made seven months ago hold true today,” he said “The Rio Verde Foothills standpipe district they are civilians trying to understand a novel government entity and they are doing so … in spite of the fact that the Board of Supervisors did not step up on this.” the community's standpipe district will procure water for Rio Verde Foothills residents from a third party and pay Scottsdale to treat it and route it through its pipes Haulers could use Scottsdale's filling station at Pima and Jomax roads to obtain the water and truck it to Foothills residents The cost is less than it would have been under the agreement that city officials previously offered Maricopa County: $17.96 per 1,000 gallons Both versions stipulate that the community must collectively also pay a base fee of $1,000 per month a cost shared among all residents purchasing water But under the previous agreement proposed to county officials the price tag would have included the cost of water itself the fee only covers the cost of treating and transporting the water to the city's standpipe Rio Verde Foothills Standpipe District Chairperson Meredith DeAngelis said she expects that the cost of purchasing water from a water provider will be much lower than Scottsdale's fees for treatment and transport to the standpipe Both costs will be reflected on residents' monthly bills as will the cost of hauling water from the city standpipe to residents' homes The agreement also includes new verbiage that will require self-haulers — residents who fill and haul their own water tanks rather than paying a water hauling company for the service — to obtain liability insurance Standpipe district officials are working toward an agreement with private water utility Epcor Even if Scottsdale leaders approve a short-term agreement Tuesday water won't begin to flow to Foothills residents until an agreement is signed between the district and a water provider DeAngelis said she expects to have that contract finalized by the end of the week The standpipe district leaders and Epcor officials are working together to determine billing logistics How many people will the agreement serve?A survey sent out to the community by standpipe district officials found that more than 760 respondents want access to hauled water The legislation establishing the standpipe district includes a provision allowing it to serve a maximum of 750 households But not all of the residents who responded to the survey need immediate access to a hauled water supply have wells that serve their daily water needs and simply want hauled water as a backup option in case their groundwater runs dry residences that received water from Scottsdale prior to the January shutoff will be prioritized She expects that pre-registration for hauled water from the standpipe district will begin in the next week She said the standpipe board will also require all haulers to sign contracts agreeing that water obtained from the fill site will not be used to supply customers outside the community In April, an investigation by The Republic found that no government entity is required to track where hauled water comes from and where it goes in Arizona meaning haulers regularly break rules set by suppliers DeAngelis said she and other standpipe district members intend to work with their water provider to enforce their stipulations The agreement is only intended to be a short-term solution to the community's water woes Therefore, the community must also find a long-term water supply solution. Currently, service to the community through a long-term arrangement with Epcor is the main option on the table Epcor is regulated by the Arizona Corporation Commission so that entity first must approve its application to serve the community permanently Following a dayslong hearing on the issue in April Commission Administrative Law Judge Charles Hains ordered all parties in the case to submit closing briefs in May commission staff will add the case to an open meeting agenda and it will be considered by the elected regulators who will vote on the application It's unclear exactly how long the process might take company officials said it could take the utility an additional 24 to 36 months to get a long-term supply of water to Rio Verde Foothills Sasha Hupka covers Maricopa County, Pinal County and regional issues for The Arizona Republic. Do you have a tip about a hauled water community? Reach her at sasha.hupka@arizonarepublic.com. Follow her on X, formerly Twitter: @SashaHupka. Follow her on Instagram or Threads: @sashahupkasnaps Reporter Sam Kmack covers Tempe, Scottsdale and Chandler. Reach him at sam.kmack@arizonarepublic.com and follow him on Twitter @KmackSam Please enable JS and disable any ad blocker on a highway in San Luis Potosí on Sunday evening All family members in both vehicles were killed: one car carried two adults and four children and the other larger vehicle carried three adults All were declared dead when ambulances arrived The crash occurred on the Rioverde-San Luis Potosí highway at kilometer 42 close to the entrance to the Cerritos toll road Relatives of the family of six arrived at the scene and explained they had been returning to the state capital after an outing in Rioverde The three adults in the larger vehicle were from Jalisco The Red Cross and the Rioverde fire department took hours to free the bodies of three adults and two adolescents from the wreckage State police officers awaited the arrival of forensic experts to determine the cause of the accident Source: Código San Luis (sp) ADVERTISE WITH MND COMMUNITY GUIDELINES Subscription FAQ's Privacy Policy Mexico News Daily - Property of Tavana LLC a wholly owned subsidiary of EPCOR Utilities Inc today announced the company has acquired 100 percent of the stock in Rio Verde Utilities which serves the Rio Verde area northeast of Scottsdale The addition of Rio Verde Utilities expands EPCOR USA’s footprint as Arizona’s largest regulated water and wastewater provider and marks the company’s 10th acquisition since entering the United States market in 2011 “Rio Verde Utilities has delivered safe and reliable service to its customers for nearly five decades,” said Joe Gysel and so we’re pleased that Rio Verde Utilities has chosen EPCOR to continue serving the Rio Verde We look forward to welcoming the Rio Verde Utilities team into the EPCOR family.” we believed EPCOR was the best utility company to acquire Rio Verde Utilities and that belief was confirmed as we worked with EPCOR to close this transaction,” said Bruce Mooty “We are confident that EPCOR’s commitment to excellence will be most beneficial to all of our customers.” Rio Verde Utilities is a natural fit with EPCOR’s operations Serving an area just 10 miles from EPCOR’s existing Fountain Hills service area the regulated operations of Rio Verde Utilities include 2,220 water and 1,876 wastewater service connections along with irrigated water service for five golf courses Today EPCOR is among the largest private utilities in the Southwest wastewater and natural gas service to approximately 360,000 customers across 37 communities and 15 counties in Arizona Public & Government AffairsEPCOR USA Inc.O 623.445.2424C 602.390.5662rstenholm@epcor.com Forward-looking information Certain information in this news release is forward-looking within the meaning of Canadian securities laws as it relates to anticipated financial performance “target” and “expect” or similar words suggest future outcomes The purpose of forward-looking information is to provide investors with management’s assessment of future plans and possible outcomes and may not be appropriate for other purposes Forward-looking information in this news release includes expectations regarding the timing of regulatory approval of the acquisition These statements are based on the assumptions and analyses made by the company in light of its experience and perception of historical trends current conditions and expected future developments and other factors it believes are appropriate Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements as actual results could differ materially from the plans estimates or intentions expressed in the forward-looking statements EPCOR disclaims any intention and assumes no obligation to update any forward-looking statement even if new information becomes available as a result of future events or for any other reason EPCOR USA’s wholly owned subsidiaries build own and operate water and wastewater and natural gas facilities and infrastructure in the southwestern United States wholesale water and natural gas services to approximately 360,000 customers across 37 communities and 15 counties in Arizona natural gas and water transmission and distribution networks and infrastructure in Canada and the United States natural gas and water products and services to residential and commercial customers 7:48 PM | Updated: Sep 6 BY BRANDON GRAY PHOENIX —  The Scottsdale City Council passed an agreement Tuesday night giving Rio Verde Foothills a partner in their interim water solution The council approved an agreement with the community’s newly formed Rio Verde Foothills Standpipe District the standpipe district will acquire water from one of Scottsdale’s water treatment facilities Scottsdale’s own water resources will not be used The city will treat the water and make it available at the Pima Road Fill Station where haulers contracted by the district could provide water for up to 750 customers in Rio Verde Foothills Scottsdale’s agreement is with the district only which may then contract with other parties as needed to supply water to Rio Verde Foothills customers Rio Verde Foothills is located more than 30 miles northeast of Scottsdale in an unincorporated part of Maricopa County Its water comes from wells on the property and from water tanks filled by hauling trucks Scottsdale was the primary water supplier for those trucks for decades until 2023 Water shortages and restrictions on the Colorado River supply caused the city to be stricter with its resources Homeowners in Rio Verde Foothills sued Scottsdale after their water supply was shut off on Jan The community demanded access to the city’s supply which evolved into a months-long battle on a solution Several bills were introduced into the state legislature requiring cities like Scottsdale to provide water to dependent communities like Rio Verde Foothills and creating a standpipe district to manage water agreements on behalf of the community Arizona Gov. Katie Hobbs signed Senate Bill 1432 earlier this summer allowing the rural community to form the standpipe district to secure water KTAR News 92.3 FM’s Luke Forstner and the Associated Press contributed to this report The Río Verde could be considered western Mexico’s “forgotten river,” principally because it runs along the bottom of a long canyon 300 to 500 meters deep It is so forgotten that I couldn’t find its length anywhere “according to Pint,” it is 173 kilometers long starting deep in the Jalisco highlands and ending at Guadalajara Thanks to its isolation the river is relatively unpolluted and all along its length are wonderful hot springs Add these two factors to the astounding beauty of the steep canyon walls overhanging the river and you have a great outdoor site well worth a visit My first trip to the Green River was rather bizarre. I received a phone call from botanist Miguel Cházaro asking me if I wouldn’t like to visit “a hot waterfall called La Bolsa at perfect bathing temperature and it’s located at the edge of a huge orchard where ripe mangoes drop right into your hands and just above the orchard there’s an archaeological site with a big pyramid and I was hooked and so were a lot of other hiker friends when I told them Cházaro’s story The result was a big turnout for a hike to La Bolsa “How far away is this place?” people asked me “Miguel says it’s just half an hour from town.” “I guess lunch and a swim suit is all you need.” but instead of arriving at the hot waterfall we found ourselves on the edge of a tremendous canyon at the bottom of which we could barely make out a narrow ribbon of brown: the Río Verde but chocolate-colored during the rainy season “Just follow me,” said Miguel, and over the edge we went, slipping and sliding on muddy trails that zigzagged through thick maleza which slowly turned into a full-blown jungle as we descended. All of us figured the waterfall must be “a half-hour” down the hill, but it soon became clear we were heading for the very bottom of the canyon lozenge-shaped mound where we learned about the history of the area “arrived at Acatic in the year 1200 and almost decided to make it their capital because they saw an eagle land there the eagle took off again and so did the Aztecs where they finally saw the omen they were seeking: an eagle devouring a snake while perched on a nopal [prickly pear cactus].” but for most of the group it was quite a disappointment “The bathing spot looked great,” stated one exhausted hiker “but to get to it you had to grab on to the branch of a tree overhanging the roaring only three out of the crowd of 20 actually got a chance to stretch out under the marvelous hot waterfall they had striven so hard to reach I was one of those lucky three and as I lay beneath the falls with jets of deliciously hot water pummeling my back in a soothing massage the reply was a resounding “Claro que sí!” but for those others who now faced the prospect of climbing back up the canyon’s muddy trails in the pouring rain the answer may have been quite the opposite especially for one exhausted soul who looked up at the top of the canyon far above us he and everyone else eventually made it to the top a local historian told me about another way into the same canyon where I would be able to appreciate “three magnificent waterfalls This place is known as La Leonera and I assumed it would present a daunting challenge equal to that of La Bolsa We drove to La Leonera from the little down of Acatic and only a few steps from the parking spot parked we stood next to a mirador offering us a truly magnificent and dramatic view of the Río Verde canyon Here we could just hear the purr of a waterfall in the distance We walked upstream for 100 meters and gaped at la Cascada Velo de la Novia (Bridal Veil) a pretty and appropriately named waterfall about 60 meters high but note that there is only water here during the rainy season At this point some may wish to head back to their car but the more adventurous can continue along the trail to two more waterfalls Eventually I learned about yet another beautiful section of this canyon which is known as La Barranca de Tamara but well-maintained road that actually lets you drive right down to the bank of the Río Verde where you can swim in delicious pools fed by cascades of hot water and Once again you go through the town of Acatic and follow a well-signposted dirt road to Rancho el Venado (Deer Ranch) you get a waterproof paper bracelet on your wrist and then begins a twisting but wonderfully scenic drive down to the very bottom of the canyon Along the way you come to a fenced-in area containing the tiny deer which give the ranch its name The road leads ever downward through gently rolling hills and several dramatic waterfalls (in the rainy season) to two roomy wooden cabins each of which has drinking and washing water each with two double beds — plus a very lovable (and speedy) mouse which raced back and forth across the ceiling and was far more entertaining than a TV could ever be A five-minute walk from the cabin takes you to the south bank of the Green River next to which two swimming pools have been built beneath a network of small natural hot waterfalls whose temperature is 37 C (98.6 F Soaking in one of these pools while gazing up at the towering red cliffs and watching the river flow is a unique experience and without a doubt from that moment on you will consider the Río Verde “one river I could never forget.” The writer has lived near Guadalajara, Jalisco, for more than 30 years and is the author of A Guide to West Mexico’s Guachimontones and Surrounding Area and co-author of Outdoors in Western Mexico. More of his writing can be found on his website ARIZONA - FEBRUARY 26: Leigh Harris filled jugs with rain water she captured outside her home on February 26 Harris lives in Rio Verde Foothills an unincorporated development in Maricopa County When the Department of the Interior issued its first-ever formal water-shortage declaration for the Colorado River the City of Scottsdale stopped allowing Rio Verde Foothills to use the citys water Harris put in a $14,000 system to catches rain water at her home On top of that system she also puts out buckets and a kids pool to capture rain water She and her husband primarily use the water to flush the toilets (Photo by RJ Sangosti/MediaNews Group/The Denver Post via Getty Images) It’s been three months since residents of Rio Verde Foothills had their water supply cut off forcing them to find other means to receive water As residents struggle to live on a limited water supply conversations between municipalities continue to hold back progress.  In October 2021, individuals were notified that starting Jan. 1, nonresidents of the city of Scottsdale would no longer be allowed to utilize the city’s water supply. The change was estimated to impact about 1,000 Rio Verde Foothills residents, according to The Arizona Republic who have relied on Scottsdale’s hauled water supply for years The decision came after Scottsdale’s water resources were reduced after the Tier 1—now Tier 2—drought of the Colorado River was announced While the arrangement between Scottsdale and Rio Verde Foothills had worked for both parties for years the worsening drought compelled Scottsdale to focus solely on the residents of their city.  The Rio Verde Foothills is an unincorporated community and doesn’t have a city council or representatives; instead, the Maricopa County Board of Supervisors (MCBS) serves as the community’s immediate government body All decisions that involve the region have to go through the Board of Supervisors The area is represented by Maricopa County Supervisor Thomas Galvin who was appointed to the position in late 2021—long after this process began Conversations and warnings surrounding the cut off have been occurring for nearly decade and elected officials were notified in May 2020 In addition to making sure the people in Foothills residences have enough water which require a significant amount of additional water in order to maintain A solution is desperately needed before summer starts yet conflict surrounding the issue seems to be at a standstill And despite conversations taking place years in advance of the cut off no short-term immediate solution is available and in place.  and even some Foothills residents have proposed their own solution—but all come with additional conflict a Foothills resident who relies on hauled water as the price has increased dramatically since the cutoff She takes strict five-minute showers and didn’t keep up her garden this year.  “I have a tank and I buy water,” Hodgkins said Foothills Area residents receive water through water haulers or wells on their property As haulers can not pick up from the city of Scottsdale they now have to travel much further for water the most convenient option is a 100-mile round trip drive from Apache Junction to the Foothills.  which increases the cost of water hauled back to the Foothills.  used to be able to haul eight or nine loads per day describes living in her home like “camping” as she has been finding creative ways to receive and conserve water.  Harris and her husband set up several water tanks on their property to capture rainwater from monsoons as the cutoff has forced the couple to use the collected water for a number of household necessities.  “Never in our wildest dreams did we think that we would have to use that water one day for potable water,” Harris said we are now in a position of thinking seriously about that.”  the couple only flushes their toilets once a day and relies on friends in other municipalities for drinking water—and sometimes showers—all in an effort to conserve water.  the cost of water has been a tremendous financial burden Harris and her husband are now spending their retirement years forced to go back to work with each of them working two jobs in order to pay for their A/C and water costs.   have had to cut back on their visits to her home to lessen the financial burden of having additional people in the home.  “They don’t want to put stress on our system.”  Harris is paying around $440 every five to six weeks to fill up her tank she paid $138 for the same service—making the current cost around a 219% increase.  While the water costs in Scottsdale vary based on usage and meter size the average Scottsdale residents’ water costs range from around $15 to $36 per month they can reach up to $270 if usage is high.  Here’s how Rio Verde Foothills residents water costs would look with each proposed solution: The plan: City of Scottsdale’s short-term temporary solution their previous arrangement with Foothills residents would continue but Maricopa County would pay Scottsdale a base rate of $1,000 per month The cost: $129.50 to $320.75 on average per household each month, based on water usage estimates from the Arizona Municipal Water Users Association The timeline: Can be implemented immediately Status: Rejected by MCBS.  What residents are saying: Harris is in favor of Scottsdale’s plan in order to get the people of the Rio Verde Foothills water now.  The plan: MCBS short-term solution: Have the private utilities company EPCOR flow water through Scottsdale’s standpipe This would allow water to be delivered to the Foothills as it was previously but without using Scottsdale’s water supply The cost: Unknown—there has been no specific proposal or setting of rates The timeline: Could be implemented immediately but MCBS would need to have Scottsdale agree to allow EPCOR to use their standpipe Status: Standstill–Scottsdale has made it clear that they wish to have a clean break from the issue.  What residents are saying: Hodgkins believes the county is responsible for solving these issues as Scottsdale has “no obligation to us” as Foothills residents don’t pay city taxes.  “They (the Maricopa County Board of Supervisors) are trying to force Scottsdale to do their bidding but Scottsdale has been upfront and honest about the cutoff,” Hodgkins said The plan: MCBS long-term solution: Work with EPCOR to build a standpipe for Rio Verde Foothills residents The cost: $80 million investment in infrastructure EPCOR’s application to the Arizona Corporation Commission is $20 per 1,000 gallons which is around $120 to $300 on average per household based on water usage estimates from the Arizona Municipal Water Users Association The timeline: Two years to complete the pipeline which will be a sustainable long-term solution after construction Status: Waiting on approval from the Arizona Corporation Commission to begin construction.  What residents are saying: Hodgkins and Harris are both wary of EPCOR due to its previous work in Bullhead City Bullhead City took possession of the area’s local water system from EPCOR due to rising rates and concern over a foreign company running a local water system.  The takeover cost Bullhead City $80 million to purchase the water system from the company which Harris called “rather unfair.”  The plan: Rio Verde Foothills residents would create a domestic water delivery system (DWID) which would create a water district under the community’s control Foothills residents would have the authority to negotiate for water independently The cost: Unknown—would be up to Foothills residents in the DWID in terms of what they negotiate Status: Rejected by MCBS in August 2022.  What residents are saying: “I had believed that our best bet was to be able to secure a piece of property that would allow us groundwater rights,” Harris said who worked to secure around 550 signatures wants to try to get MCBS to approve the district again.  Many members of the Rio Verde Foothills community are against the creation of the DWID.  A petition was signed by 1,365 people against the creation of the DWID the petition stated there was no immediate threat to the Rio Verde Foothills’ water supply The Kennedy family has long been considered “Democratic royalty.” But Robert F Does everything in your life feel a little more chaotic than usual Or do you feel like misunderstandings are cropping up more frequently than they.. Republican Richer and Democrat Fontes are taking more aggressive steps than ever to rebuild trust with voters Republican-run political action committee from Texas with a deceptively Democratic name and ties to disgraced US Rep The Republican operative bought airtime under an unregistered PAC named “Turn AZ Blue” to run attack ads against Marlene Galán-Woods in a hotly-contested Democratic primary and HB 2821 aim to grant law enforcement and local officials unchecked power to enforce immigration laws—even if there are found to be no violations— shielded from any civil liability and has left a trail of unpaid bills from venues across the state totaling $150,000 since 2016 03-06-2023IMPACT The plight of 2,000 families in Scottsdale illustrates the depths of water access problems that the region faces A Rio Verde Foothills resident fills jugs from a makeshift rainwater capture system [Photo: RJ Sangosti/MediaNews Group/The Denver Post/Getty Images] BY Inside Climate News and Wyatt Myskow Eddie Reim’s school days look like those of most students He goes to class and plays at recess with his friends the fifth-grader does something a bit out of the ordinary: he heads to the water fountain and fills up his water bottle That’s because Eddie’s family lives in the Rio Verde Foothills a community on unincorporated land governed by Maricopa County north of Scottsdale that had its main water supply cut off by the city at the beginning of this year The water Eddie gets from the fountain will get him through until the next school day ensuring he doesn’t have to take from his family’s now limited water supply they use paper plates and plastic utensils “We’re not really getting to live in our house,” said Cody Reim who organized a protest last month over the city’s water cutoff and has helped lead the community’s response to its water crisis Scottsdale had allowed haulers to fill their trucks at a water station to provide water to Rio Verde residents it cut off the haulers’ access in response to shortages on the Colorado River Though the city had said for years that it wouldn’t always be able to provide the water many residents were unaware the water from the city would be cut off on January 1 The water haulers were the main source for residents who don’t have wells which can cost tens of thousands of dollars even when it’s not clear whether they will provide any water The Rio Verde Foothills community was built by so-called “wildcat” developers who exploited a loophole in the state’s groundwater law that enabled construction without having to obtain a state certification that the development has enough water for 100 years The cutoff has thrust the Rio Verde Foothills—with roughly 2,000 homes—into the spotlight as more and more towns and cities news outlets have covered every twist and turn as the community looks to find water both in the short and long term National news organizations have chimed in with severe climate-induced droughts creating water shortages throughout the West and decrepit lead pipes and other aging water infrastructure wreaking havoc in parts of the Midwest Rio Verde Foothills residents filed a lawsuit against the city State lawmakers have taken aim at Scottsdale’s leaders and introduced legislation to find water for the foothills for the next couple of years while a long-term solution is worked out After nearly two months without hauled water from Scottsdale, a short-term solution may finally have come together. Scottsdale City Council unanimously agreed Tuesday evening to adopt a resolution that would allow water haulers to draw from the water station for the next two years—if the county will agree The city’s vote comes after Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes wrote in a letter last week that a county has the authority to temporarily provide water to county residents by entering an intergovernmental agreement with a public agency would be dependent on Scottsdale finding a third-party source to provide 600 acre feet of water—200 acre feet per year—with 126 acre feet going to the county for purchase That third-party source has yet to be determined told Inside Climate News he couldn’t comment on where the water might come from or enough to cover an acre of land in one foot of water Over the weekend, Scottsdale Mayor David Ortega told 12 News in Phoenix that Scottsdale would get the water from the Gila River Indian Community but the tribe told the station it would not be providing the water to Scottsdale Ortega then clarified the water would come from the Colorado River Indian Tribal Council with a spokesperson for the council telling 12 News they had not been approached by the city there is no system in place that could deliver the water the tribal council’s deputy director for public affairs said Wednesday in an email that the council “has not had any direct talks with Scottsdale addressing water leasing and or assisting Rio Verde “logistics are not yet in place to begin water leasing at this time.”   Residents at the city council meeting on Tuesday had concerns beyond where the water would come from: the cost and the likelihood that the number of acre feet they get could be cut if the city faces any additional shortages due to drought on the Colorado River the county will have to pay $1,000 a month plus $21.25 per 1,000 gallons of potable water resulting in higher costs than the community was previously paying for Scottsdale’s water John and Doreen Hornewer have lived in the Rio Verde Foothills for over 20 years and operate a water hauling business they charged around 4 to 5 cents a gallon for water they obtained at the station in Scottsdale they have to drive further out to Apache Junction to get the water to deliver to customers who have large tanks at their homes The Hornewers aren’t sure what the exact cost will end up being if Scottsdale’s resolution is agreed to by the county but they expect it to be around 6 cents per gallon The amount of water the county will receive can also be cut if Scottsdale’s own water supply is reduced “If our access to water is constrained in any way we would constrain the water deliveries to Rio Verde Foothills,” Biesemeyer said when presenting the resolution to the city council The city relies heavily on water from the Colorado River, which has experienced more than 20 years of drought and decades of over-allocation. The seven states that rely on the river are currently negotiating how to address the dwindling water supply Scottsdale’s resolution also calls for the county to attempt to stop issuing building permits in the community “wildcat” developers built hundreds of homes on five parcels or less meaning that the water supply did not need to be certified under the state’s groundwater law The law requires any subdivision—meaning six or more parcels—in the fastest-growing regions of the state need to have the water department certify that it has enough water for 100 years These “wildcat” developers have drawn sharp criticism from all sides and need to be reined in by the county Any short-term agreement for the Rio Verde Foothills now lies in the county’s hands whose district includes Rio Verde Foothills wrote in a letter to Scottsdale dated Tuesday that the county had yet to review the city’s proposal He also shared many of the same concerns as residents over the cost of the water where it would come from and how it will be transported to residents Galvin also noted in the letter that he had proposed a plan last year “from a private water company that would be of financial benefit to Scottsdale and of no cost to Maricopa County.” “This plan makes sense because a private water utility company went on record with a willingness and ability to be part of an interim solution to the water issue before the City’s imposed cutoff deadline of December 31 “This proposed solution remains available.” That private water utility company is EPCOR, but the city never voted on the proposal. EPCOR has also submitted an application to provide residents with a so-called standpipe service to solve the long-term problem The company hasn’t yet specified the source of its water But the plan needs approval from the state’s regulatory body for utilities The company projects that it would take at least two or three years to establish service and cost $6 million at minimum just to construct the standpipe system which would essentially be another water station where haulers and homeowners could go to pay for water the community leader and father of the fifth-grader said the city’s resolution is a start to finding a short-term solution that will allow for negotiations with the county to proceed But tensions between the city and community still run high During the meeting’s public comment on Tuesday Reim spoke on the conflicting statements Ortega had given on where the water would come from Ortega also criticized the residents like Reims for bringing children with them to previous city council meetings where residents protested Scottsdale’s decision to cut off water “I’m very glad that we’re all adults here who don’t have children carrying signs against [the city],” he said saying it had come from an elected government official who “didn’t appreciate you expressing your First Amendment right with your children.” The final deadline for Fast Company’s Brands That Matter Awards is Friday, May 30, at 11:59 p.m. PT. 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Learn More It's been nearly three weeks since residents of a northeast Valley community lost their main source of water Scottsdale has warned that it would eventually cut off water hauling to Rio Verde Foothills a patchwork of roughly 2,000 homes nestled just outside city limits Last year, it set a deadline About 500 of the community's homes — 1,000 people — rely on hauled water and the city informed those property owners that they would need to find another water source by 2023 Despite months of work and disagreements among neighbors in pursuit of solutions, that deadline came and passed with no plan — and Scottsdale turned off the taps residents are in a crisis and bitterly divided here are a few things to know about the community and its water woes Rio Verde Foothills is an unincorporated community meaning it is not within the boundaries of a city That makes it far out of reach of municipal water pipes the area is simply part of Maricopa County which oversees large swaths of land that aren't under a city or town government Residents pay less taxes in these areas but don't receive the same services as city residents the county doesn't buy or provide water like cities do because it isn't authorized to act as a water provider under state law if developers build subdivisions on county land they must secure water and prove that the community has enough to last 100 years But some developments across the county and state fall into a loophole in the law developers split properties fewer than six times to build new homes meaning the houses aren't technically inside of subdivisions And that means private property owners never had to prove a 100-year water supply These types of developments are called “wildcat” subdivisions and Rio Verde Foothills is a textbook example some homes there were built without any regard for residents' water future And because the groundwater there is spotty not all residents have the option of just drilling a well Scottsdale provided water to residents who relied on hauling The city did so via a standpipe a few miles from the community near the intersection of Jomax and Pima roads There are no pipes that go all the way to Rio Verde Foothills, so the standpipe serves as the primary way to get water close to the community. As a result, most interim and some permanent solutions to the community's water issues depend on Scottsdale's cooperation What water can the community temporarily access?Private haulers can still provide some water to the community through sources beyond Scottsdale — mostly But those sources are unstable and can stop doing business with the water haulers at any time Most of the cities that will provide water to haulers are farther away from Rio Verde Foothills That means haulers have to spend more time and diesel to get water into residents' tanks One was a proposal to create a water taxing district, but that plan was unanimously voted down in August by the Maricopa County Board of Supervisors who represents the district encompassing Rio Verde Foothills said he had concerns about the long-term viability of the body and its potential costs Galvin favored a long-term agreement with private water utility Epcor That potential solution is currently in the works but since the company is regulated by the state the plan first must go through Arizona's Corporation Commission The cheapest and fastest option to provide residents with water according to a letter from Epcor to the Corporation Commission is for the company to use Scottsdale's treatment facility and pipes build a standpipe and construct a separate water storage facility to the tune of $10 million before water costs the company estimates it will take at least 24 to 36 months before a permanent solution is fully in place It also notes the ideas that involve Scottsdale depend on the city's approval Why is Scottsdale opposed to helping?Scottsdale Mayor David Ortega has repeatedly called himself a "hard no" on helping Rio Verde residents saying that water isn't "a compassion game." he's expressed concern over ongoing drought conditions on the Colorado River He's also opposed allowing any water serving Rio Verde Foothills residents to flow through the city's water treatment plant and pipes citing the impacts of water hauling trucks on Scottsdale roads and saying the city gave the county and Rio Verde Foothills residents ample notice that it wouldn't provide water or infrastructure forever Scottsdale officials haven't commented much on the pressure they're facing from Rio Verde Foothills residents and other politicians to negotiate a deal that would ensure the community has a stable temporary source of water But they have said that the city "remains firm in that position and confident it is on the right side of the law." Many residents have said they weren't adequately informed about the water problems before purchasing or building their homes Most said they were informed they would have to rely on hauled water But they said they were assured that hauling water was common in Arizona and that Scottsdale never would cut off access to its standpipe Even when Scottsdale began threatening to cut off the community's water many residents said they didn't believe it actually would happen without a permanent solution in place that Scottsdale would cut us off," said John Hornewer owner of Rio Verde Foothills Potable Water Hauling and a resident of the community The community's water woes are similar to that of New River an unincorporated community north of Phoenix that faced a dilemma in 2017 when that city cracked down on water haulers who were taking water from city hydrants to deliver to their properties Epcor was able to step in to build a hauling station and provide water But the Rio Verde Foothills situation is slightly more complex Epcor doesn't already have a water supply ready to go there and residents' water issues are happening against a backdrop of drought on the Colorado River Rio Verde Foothills may not be the only community at risk of losing its water supply "Wildcat" subdivisions have been built across the state and county meaning other areas may face similar challenges as cities implement their drought restriction plans and tighten their water usage “this is not a solution” without really saying it Read EPCOR’s application to offer water to some residents in Rio Verde Foothills is the only one officially asking to help homeowners whose taps will soon run dry even though it makes clear in its application that the service makes no financial sense But it proves, again, how big of a pickle the unincorporated community north of Scottsdale is in – and how big of a mistake it is to let people build on temporary supplies and then try to save them when the water runs out EPCOR is proposing to build a standpipe somewhere in or near the Rio Verde Foothills area It doesn’t have a precise location because it doesn’t yet have a water source Confidential negotiations are underway to find that water Presuming that’s how this goes – that EPCOR draws out finite water from the area without replenishing it – it’s anyone’s guess how long it will last What next?: County rejects Rio Verde Foothills' water district proposal Water is not distributed evenly throughout Rio Verde Foothills and there are already plenty of straws in the ground Some residents with existing wells have seen them go dry over the last few years Not to mention that if EPCOR can find a spot with enough water requiring the water to be treated before it is delivered No wonder the company predicts it could take at least two years, maybe even three or more, to get a standpipe up and running, even though service for those currently hauling water from Scottsdale will end in a couple of months It’s unclear what will happen in the interim EPCOR estimates it would have to charge residents $20 per 1,000 gallons to use this service That’s significantly more than what they are paying for water now, and significantly more than what the company charged to provide a standpipe for New River residents who were in a similar pickle a few years back That’s because EPCOR was able to use existing infrastructure to bail out those homeowners it must secure water rights and fund construction Twenty bucks per 1,000 gallons equates to roughly $6,500 per acre-foot – which is more than twice the wholesale rate for desalinated water one of the most expensive water sources out there Customers elsewhere might be on the hookAs if that wasn’t a deal killer – because no homeowner is going to pay that much for water – EPCOR also says that it can’t make any of this work without consolidating the Rio Verde Foothills standpipe into the company’s larger Sonoran Water District Because so few residents are expected to use the standpipe (the area’s estimated annual demand is a mere 150 acre-feet) the company may need to spread some of the costs across a larger base of customers who don’t live in Rio Verde Foothills in a future rate case Especially considering that EPCOR only plans to serve homes that exist by Jan. 1, 2024 And construction shows no signs of stopping in the area Rio Verde Foothills is not an isolated caseThat’s the problem We let people build on temporary water supplies And we don’t make them sign something that plainly states State lawmakers have no interest in changing the laws that put homeowners in this situation. And while county supervisors say they are powerless to stop construction they could require those that build on a finite water supply to be as efficient as possible with rain barrels and grey water systems to capture and reuse as much as they can Because this is hardly the only place where a lack of renewable water will come home to roost. There are “wildcat” subdivisions like those in Rio Verde Foothills all over the outskirts of Maricopa County, near Prescott and in places like Strawberry and Pine when we scramble to fix the mistake on the back end with residents who built on stronger footing being asked to share that burden If you love this content (or love to hate it – hey, I won't judge), why not subscribe to get more This guide to the Valley’s best neighborhoods for a variety of personalities can help you navigate today’s crucible of a real estate market and find your ideal home And there’s even more action on tap in this mostly 55-plus community residents can rent kayaks to paddle the Verde River mountain bikes to slalom between saguaros in the Tonto National Forest and e-bikes to throttle through the community Creatives can hone their painting and pottery techniques in the Art Loft Golfers can play the Tom Lehman-designed course two-bedrooms can sell in the $400Ks at Trilogy’s Encanterra community in Queen Creek and designers have captured all sides of the Valley with award-winning and insightful writing and investigative features keep our 385,000 readers in touch with the Valley's latest trends