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Walczak: Sun City COA ignores Southwest drought issues

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Every organization and agency, from the Arizona Department of Water Resources to the federal government has informed the states in the Southwest and everyone who will listen that the water supply in this area of the country is in a precarious situation! 

For some reason, there are individuals and one organization refusing to listen or respond to this very serious issue. They have turned a blind eye to the fact that this area of the country is in a 30-year drought! The worst in more than 1,500 years! In addition, the major water supply for seven states, the Colorado River, is in trouble. Lake Mead and Lake Powell are both less than 70% full. 

I attempted to pass this information on to the many condominium associations and their boards when I was with the Sun City Condominium Owners Association. Some accepted the facts and took measures to cut back on their water usage. However, some refused to acknowledge this problem facing our community and Arizona.

The COA board refuses to follow the organization’s mission statement — to educate, inform and train the condo associations in Sun City. I asked the board to begin to work with the condo associations so that they may conserve water by removing some or a large portion of their grass and to convert to a xeriscape type landscaping. Instead, they wrote apologetic letters to associations because I pointed out that some associations were wasting water!

The present board of directors at the COA, the only organization in Arizona to ignore the water issue, refuses to accept this extremely serious problem. Phoenix, the state of Arizona and the federal government has acknowledged the water crisis and has taken a conservative outlook on water consumption!

We are living in a desert that is running out of water! You chose to move here! The COA needs to wake up!

Jerry Walczak

Sun City