OPINION — Arizona is approving major industrial projects in the West Valley without telling the public how much groundwater these companies plan to pump from the Agua Fria Groundwater Basin. That is unacceptable.
State data shows why transparency matters. The Arizona Department of Water Resources reports declining groundwater levels in parts of the basin and confirms that pumping exceeds natural recharge in its 2024 Supply & Demand Assessment. These are the state’s own findings.
Yet projects such as Baccara, BNSF facilities and other heavy‑use operations are moving forward with no public water‑use disclosures and no project‑specific groundwater modeling released by ADWR. No Environmental Impact Statement appears in the public record.
