Town Hall discusses water shortage fears

Community members and government officials gathered Tuesday to discuss the increasing concerns over water sustainability in the Santa Cruz Valley area.

The Town Hall took place at the Good Shepherd United Church of Christ in Sahuarita. U.S. Rep. Gabrielle Giffords organized the meeting, which included members of the Arizona Water Resources Research Center, the Arizona Water Institute, the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation, the Central Arizona Project and various community- and county-wide groups and organizations.

In her opening statement, Giffords stated that she hoped the meeting would “begin to define the federal role in water usage in this area.” The problems are particularly important for Arizona, she said, because it is the second fastest growing state in the country.

The various agencies gave brief introductions of what their roles were in solving the increasingly looming water issues facing the Sahuarita and Green Valley area.

“Our mission,” said Sharon Megdal, “is to promote understanding of water issues.” Megdal is the director of the Arizona Water Resources Research Center. “There is no cheap and easy answer to some of our water problems, but we have many people working on them,” she said.

Kathy Jacobs, the executive director of the Arizona Water Institute, said that the idea that there was an unlimited amount of resources has ended.

“We are now in an era of limits in terms of our water supplies,” Jacobs said.

Many of those in attendance, including Sahuarita Mayor Lynne Skelton, seemed well aware of the pressing issues facing water security in the area.

“Our region continues to grow,” Skelton said. “We need new sources of water and we need them now.”

Others, like Green Valley Community Coordinating Council member Stan Riddle, expressed dissatisfaction toward the various meetings held by government groups meant to determine solutions.

“We all know that actions speak louder than words,” Riddle said.

Steve Bell, a Sahuarita resident for over two years, feels that individual members of the community need to be willing to make sacrifices in order to see results.

“We’ve got so many people that move into this area that bring their own ideas about what they want,” Bell said. “They move into the desert, and they want the desert to be Mississippi or Massachusetts or Ohio or wherever. They want to bring those things in. If they liked a particular type of lawn or a particular type of tree, they want to have those things.”

A resident of Texas for most of his life, Bell said he is used to the idea of personal restraint when it comes to water.

“It’s a similar type situation in all of the Southwest, and some areas have dealt with it for many, many years,” he said, “and some areas, like this one, have not, and I don’t understand why we haven’t. It’s a puzzle to me.”

Many of those who spoke to the gathered representatives thanked Giffords for her efforts in bringing what they saw as much needed attention to the issue, as well as giving those who live in the area a chance to voice their concerns directly to officials.

Bells said he hopes that a solution will come soon, but is weary of what may become of the area if action is not taken.

“We love it here,” he said. “We hope to stay here the rest of our lives, but this water situation, it’s scary.”

djordan@gvnews.com