After six dry months, the Rioverde foothills should be re-supplied with water from Scottsdale.

Governor Katie Hobbs announced on June 19 that Democrats and Republicans united in passing a bill aimed at forcing Scottsdale to provide water to its unincorporated neighbor through the “Standpipe District.” SB 1432 was signed less than a week after.

“This bipartisan bill shows that if we put politics aside, we can come together to solve the problems of everyday life in Arizona,” Hobbes said.

“It’s not perfect, but I’m happy to bring peace of mind to the residents of the Rio Verde foothills.”

A month ago, the Arizona House and Senate narrowly passed HB 2441, a bill that would force the city of Scottsdale to restore water to the Rio Verde foothills without a middle party. Hobbes, however, vetoed this, demanding that state legislators “send HB 2561 to my desk.”

But something interesting happened to the bill from Republican Scottsdale Rep. Alexander Collodin. The bill is gone.

More precisely, almost all of the text from HB 2561 has been added to SB 1432. SB 1432 was swiftly passed by the House (40-20) and the Senate (20-8) last week in “supermajority” status.

“It took an unlikely coalition team effort to defeat the establishment’s legions of lobbyists and solve what was supposed to be an easy problem,” Corrodin said.

In fact, he has been working for months on variations of the bill to support the Rio Verde Foothills.

Scottsdale must now restore water to the Rio Verde Foothills. This had been done for years via the Joemax Road standpipe, which filled tankers carrying water and delivered it to the unincorporated county area between northeast Scottsdale and Fountain Hills. .

After years of warning that the city of Scottsdale would close the standpipe to about 750 homes in the Rio Verde Foothills, Mayor David Ortega took a hard line and led the standpipe closure on January 1. bottom.

The new law does not force Scottsdale to use its own water, it essentially obliges Scottsdale to “treat and transport” water supplied by a third party (probably EPCOR). .

The private utility company said in an application to the Arizona State Commission of Companies that it has water to provide water for the Rio Verde Foothills region.

However, the infrastructure required for EPCOR to build its own standpipe could take three years, which would require SB 1432.

Last week, Progress asked Scottsdale City Council members whether they would support the bill, if it were enacted, or if they would support a legal challenge.

“From what I’ve seen so far, I would support allowing this process to go ahead,” City Councilman Barry Graham said.

City Councilman Solange Whitehead said Corodin’s bill would “permanently keep Scottsdale from supplying water to the foothills of the Rio Verde… giving government agencies the power to negotiate water from third parties.” ‘ and said he was against the legal battle.

City councilors Tammy Kaputi and Betty Janick also said they would not support the legal challenge.

City Councilors Tom Durham and City Councilors Kathy Littlefield both said they needed more information before making a decision.

“We need to make sure everything is fine with the contract for Scottsdale citizens. If so, I have no reason to say no,” Littlefield said.

“No one wants the Rio Verde foothills to run out of water.”

Progress asked Ortega and city manager Jim Thompson whether the city will follow the guidelines, or whether the city will follow the guidelines, assuming Hobbs does not veto SB1432 by the deadline of Tuesday, June 20. I asked him if he would fight the law.

“Arizona Senate Bill 1432 is signed into law and the City of Scottsdale is ready to do its part,” Thompson said.

Here’s Ortega’s somewhat cryptic response, posted on the city’s website:

“Distant mirages can cause the nearest oasis to be overlooked.” Mentioned.

“We believe the draft IGA will protect the Scottsdale water utility, comply with the drought management plan, be financially responsible, and have the potential to move forward with the proposed standpipe district,” Ortega said. rice field.

Meanwhile, residents of the Rio Verde Foothills, emotionally divided between HB 2441 and HB 2561, are now scrambling to find suitable candidates for the five standpipe district councilors on Corodin’s bill outline. are doing.

Standpipe district representatives will be tasked with negotiating an agreement with Scottsdale once the water source is secured.