After a five-year process, the town of Queen Creek on Wednesday began receiving fourth priority Colorado River water from property owners in the small Arizona town of Cibola in La Paz County, reducing Queen Creek’s reliance on groundwater.

Just last month, the town of Queen Creek announced it needed to find water supplies for about 10,000 lots that had not yet been built. The one-of-a-kind deal sparked controversy, as many Arizona counties, including La Paz, were participating in injunction lawsuits.

“I’m really happy to cross the finish line,” said Queen Creek Deputy Mayor Jeff Brown. “Ensuring an alternative renewable water supply that minimizes our reliance on groundwater is something we have been working on for many years. While the town has a legal right to continue pumping groundwater, the transfer will help the town become an even better water manager and protect as much groundwater as possible. I would like to personally thank the many state and federal partners who have gone to great lengths to recognize the beneficial impact that this initial transfer will have not only locally, but truly statewide.”

In 2018, Queen Creek approved a purchase agreement for a portion of its water rights with Cibola Valley landowners. The town followed an established process for diverting Colorado River water, including reviews by the Arizona Department of Water Resources (ADWR) and the United States Bureau of Reclamation (USBOR).

Queen Creek Mayor Julia Wheatley said, “I would like to take this opportunity to thank everyone who has helped facilitate this important process, including ADRW, USBOR and the Central Arizona Project (CAP).” “As a council, we began discussing diversifying our water supply nearly a decade ago. Thanks to the foresight of our previous and current town councils, we were able to have important conversations about where the water was coming from then, what it would be like in the future, and the opportunities to do it differently and more efficiently. It’s one element of the strategy.”

Queen Creek is permanently supplied with 2,033 acre feet of water per year. The town paid $24 million at one time for water rights. Water is supplied through the CAP Canal, which runs along the eastern boundary of the town.

“While this transfer may seem small, over 100 years of re-use will result in nearly 365,000 acre-feet, directly reducing groundwater withdrawal,” said Paul Gardner, director of water resources for Queen Creek. “The town continues to evaluate additional renewable supplies, such as Hulkuahala water and participation in the Bartlett Dam elevation study. Water is a finite resource and we will continue to strive to diversify our supply.”

Other efforts include using all of the town’s treated wastewater and establishing three additional recharge sites. Queen Creek is working on new developments on creative ways to reduce water usage, such as an on-site lake that stores treated wastewater. The town also offers strong water-saving programs for residents, including free water workshops and classroom education on water-saving strategies for young people, according to town officials.

The statutory 100-year supply of water to all of Queen Creek’s current customers will be maintained, but town officials said they will continue to focus on renewable supply and work toward becoming a designated supplier by 2030 while limiting groundwater needs.