Ariz. Admin. Code § R12-15-710 - Designation of Assured Water Supply

A. A municipal provider applying for a designation of assured water supply shall submit an application on a form prescribed by the Director with the fee required by R12-15-103(C) and provide the following:

1. The applicant's current demand;

2. The applicant's committed demand;

3. The applicant's projected demand for the proposed term of the designation;

4. If the applicant is seeking a reduction in the estimated water demand because gray water reuse systems will be installed, sufficient information for the Director to determine the appropriate reduction in demand;

45. The proposed term of the designation, which shall not be less than two years;

56. Evidence that the criteria in subsection (E) of this Section are met; and

67. Any other information that the Director determines is necessary to decide whether an assured water supply exists for the municipal provider.

B. An application for a designation shall be signed by:

1. If the applicant is a city or town, the city or town manager or a person employed in an equivalent position. The application shall also include a resolution of the governing body of the city or town, authorizing that person to sign the application; or

2. If the applicant is a private water company, the applicant's authorized officer, managing member, partner, trust officer, trustee, or other person who performs similar decision-making functions for the applicant.

C. The Director shall give public notice of an application for designation in the same manner as provided for certificates in A.R.S. § 45578. For an application to modify a designation of assured water supply to which Subsection (G) of this Section applies, the physical availability of the groundwater and stored water to be recovered outside the area of impact of storage sought to be included in the designation shall not be grounds for an objection.

D. After a complete application is submitted, the Director shall review the application and associated evidence to determine:

1. The annual volume of water physically, continuously, and legally available for at least 100 years

2. The term of the designation, which shall not be less than two years;

3. The applicant's estimated water demand. If the applicant demonstrates that gray water reuse systems will be installed, the Director shall reduce the estimated water demand for the subdivision by the volume the Director determines is likely to be saved through the gray water reuse systems;

4. The applicant's groundwater allowance; and

5. Whether the applicant has demonstrated compliance with all requirements in subsection (E) of this Section.

E. The Director shall designate the applicant as having an assured water supply if the applicant demonstrates all of the following:

1. Sufficient supplies of water are physically available to meet the applicant's estimated water demand, according to the criteria in R12-15-716 or as provided in subsection (G), (H) or (I) of this Section;

2. Sufficient supplies of water are continuously available to meet the applicant's estimated water demand, according to the criteria in R12-15-717;

3. Sufficient supplies of water are legally available to meet the applicant's estimated water demand, according to the criteria in R12-15-718;

4. The proposed sources of water are of adequate quality, according to the criteria in R12-15-719;

5. The applicant has the financial capability to construct adequate delivery, storage, and treatment works in a timely manner according to the criteria in R12-15-720;

6. Any proposed groundwater use is consistent with the management plan in effect at the time of the application, according to the criteria in R12-15-721; and

7. Any proposed use of groundwater withdrawn within an AMA is consistent with the management goal, according to the criteria in R12-15-722.

F. The Director shall review an application for a designation of assured water supply pursuant to the licensing time-frame provisions in R12-15-401.

G. For an application seeking to modify a designation of assured water supply that does not include a volume of groundwater or stored water recovered outside the area of impact pursuant to subsection (H) or (I) of this Section, the Director shall not review the physical availability of the volume of groundwater and stored water to be recovered outside the area of impact sought to be included in the designation if the total volume of those sources sought to be included in the designation does not exceed the total volume of those sources included in the previous designation of assured water supply that are required to be accounted for pursuant to A.A.C. R12-15-716(B)(3)(c)(ii), minus the sum of the following:

1. The volume of groundwater withdrawn by the applicant since the previous designation of assured water supply order issuance date; and

2. The volume of stored water recovered outside the area of impact by the applicant since the previous designation of assured water supply order issuance date.

H. For a new application for a designation of assured water supply in the Phoenix and Pinal Active Management Areas, a volume of groundwater and stored water recovered outside the area of impact, as calculated in subsection (H)(1), (2) and (3) of this Section, shall be deemed physically available if the Director determines that a New Alternative Water Supply included in the application meets the requirements in R12-15-716 through R12-15-720. The volume of groundwater and stored water recovered outside the area of impact shall be calculated as follows:

1. Add the total volume of groundwater withdrawn and stored water recovered outside the area of impact within the service area of applicant during the calendar year 2023 to the estimated groundwater and stored water recovered outside the area of impact demand for unbuilt portions of issued certificates of assured water supply as of 2023 that are or will be within the service area of the applicant, and multiply the sum by 100;

2. Multiply 25 percent of each New Alternative Water Supply included in the designation by 100; and

3. Subtract the total volume calculated in subsection (H)(2) of this Section from the total volume calculated in subsection (H)(1).

4. The Director shall use the annual report submitted by the municipal provider for calendar year 2023, as verified by the Director, for purposes of this calculation.

I. For an application seeking to modify a designation of assured water supply that includes a volume of groundwater and stored water recovered outside the area of impact pursuant to subsection (H) of this Section, the following apply:

1. The 100-year volume calculated pursuant to subsection (H) of this Section shall be reduced by the volume of groundwater withdrawn and stored water recovered outside the area of impact by the applicant since the previous designation order issuance date; and

2. The 100-year volume calculated pursuant to subsection (H) of this Section shall be further reduced by 25 percent of the 100-year volume of each New Alternative Water Supply included in any modified designation but not included in the previous designation.

J. The Director shall not include any additional sources of groundwater withdrawn from the AMA or stored water recovered outside the area of impact in the AMA in a designation of assured water supply that includes a volume of groundwater and stored water recovered outside the area of impact pursuant to subsection (H) or (I) of this Section.

K. An applicant that includes a volume of groundwater or stored water recovered outside the area of impact pursuant to subsection (H) or (I) of this Section must be enrolled as a member service area with the CAGRD.

Notes

Ariz. Admin. Code § R12-15-710

Adopted effective February 7, 1995 (Supp. 95-1). Section repealed; new Section made by final rulemaking at 12 A.A.R. 3475, effective September 12, 2006 (Supp. 06-3). Amended by exempt rulemaking at 16 A.A.R. 1205, effective June 15, 2010 (Supp. 10-2). Amended by exempt rulemaking at 16 A.A.R. 1950, effective September 10, 2010 (Supp. 10-3). Amended by final rulemaking at 17 A.A.R. 659, effective June 4, 2011 (Supp. 11-2). Amended by final expedited rulemaking at 28 A.A.R. 909, effective 4/11/2022. Amended by final rulemaking at 30 A.A.R. 3751, effective 11/25/2024.