Arizona’s Assured and Adequate Water Supply ((AAWS) programs evaluate the availability of a 100-year water supply for the state, taking into account current and committed demand, as well as growth projections.

A Certificate of Assured Water Supply (CAWS) must be obtained when land is subdivided within an active management area and is not served by a designated water provider.

The Arizona Department of Water Resources (ADWR) Assured and Adequate Water Supply programs were created to address the problem of limited groundwater supplies in Arizona.

There are actually two different programs established by the ADWR.

The Assured Water Supply Program operates within Arizona’s five Active Management Areas (AMAs). It is designed to sustain the state’s economic health by preserving groundwater resources and promoting long-term water supply planning. AMAs are those areas of the state where significant groundwater depletion has occurred historically and include portions of Maricopa, Pinal, Pima, Santa Cruz and Yavapai counties.

The Adequate Water Supply Program operates outside of the AMAs.  It ensures that the water adequacy or inadequacy is disclosed in the public report provided to potential first purchasers and that any water supply limitations are described in promotional or advertising material. However, in a mandatory adequacy jurisdiction, adequacy of water supplies must be demonstrated prior to plat approval and issuance of a public report.

Physical Water Availability: Sources of water have specific requirements for demonstration of physical availability. A list of those specific requirements can be found in the Arizona Administrative Code. (See: A.A.C. R12-15-716).

Continuous Water Availability: Water providers or developers must demonstrate that the water supply is uninterruptible for the 100-year period, or that sufficient backup supplies exist for any anticipated shortages. (See: A.A.C. R12-15-717).

Legal Water Availability: An applicant must demonstrate legal rights to all water supplies included in the application. (See: A.A.C. R12-15-718).

Water Quality: Proposed sources of water must satisfy existing state water quality standards and any other quality standards applicable to the proposed use after treatment. (See: A.A.C. R12-15-719).

Financial Capability: Water providers or developers must demonstrate financial capability to construct the water delivery system and any storage or treatment facilities. Financial capability for developers is typically considered through the local government’s subdivision review process. A demonstration is also required that adequate delivery, storage and treatment works will be available to the applicant or the applicant’s customers for 100 years. (See: A.A.C. R12-15-720).

Consistency with the Management Plan (Assured Water Supply Only): Each AMA’s Management Plan prescribes water conservation requirements for municipal water providers. Water demand associated with proposed subdivisions is evaluated in accordance with these conservation requirements. (See: A.A.C. R12-15-721).

Consistency with the Management Goal (Assured Water Supply Only): Applicants must demonstrate consistency with the management goals of each AMA. (See: A.A.C. R12-15-722).