- Arizona launches solicitation for water importation projects.
- Qualified teams invited to propose innovative solutions.
- Goal is to secure Arizona’s future water needs through augmentation.
November 26, 2024 — In a bold move to secure Arizona’s water future, the Water Infrastructure Finance Authority of Arizona (WIFA) announced on November 20, 2024, that it is seeking qualified teams to develop water importation projects. This solicitation is the first phase in WIFA’s plan to identify and evaluate proposals that will bring new, renewable water supplies into the state.
Through this competitive process, WIFA invites fully formed teams with proven experience in engineering, construction, operation, maintenance, and financing of water augmentation projects. According to Ted Cooke, chairman of WIFA’s Long-Term Augmentation Committee, the goal is to attract proposals that offer “outside-the-box ideas for bringing water to Arizona. ”
“I am extremely proud of the work we have done to prove that WIFA is a serious player in water infrastructure development,” Cooke said. “We have designed this competitive project development process to attract extremely capable teams and give WIFA the opportunity to publicly and transparently vet those projects, ensuring that we select the right one for our state.”
Earlier efforts to import water included former Governor Doug Ducey’s 2022 plan to provide $1 billion over three years to revamp the Water Infrastructure Finance Authority. Seventy-five percent of the money was to acquire water outside the state, such as building a desalination plant to treat water from the Sea of Cortez.
Securing Arizona’s Water Future.
Established in 2022, WIFA’s long-term augmentation mission stems from the Arizona Legislature’s determination that a comprehensive water strategy is essential for protecting the state’s residents, economy, and environment. This solicitation represents a significant step toward fulfilling WIFA’s directive to meet Arizona’s future water needs through water augmentation.
“WIFA’s augmentation mission is a quintessential example of how Arizona is consistently and effectively working toward a secure, resilient, and sustainable water future,” said WIFA Board Chairman Jonathan Lines
. “Arizona has long been serious about water. Similarly, WIFA takes seriously its mission to find new water resources so that our state can continue to grow and thrive.”
WIFA is a state agency dedicated to ensuring the sustainability of Arizona’s present and future water supply through financial investments in effective augmentation, conservation, reuse, and water quality. As Arizona’s administrator of the Clean Water and Drinking Water State Revolving Funds, WIFA provides low-interest loans and technical assistance for water infrastructure projects. Over the past 30 years, the agency has invested nearly $3 billion in communities throughout Arizona, driving sustainable solutions and helping to secure the state’s water future.
Invitation to Participate
Entities interested in contributing to Arizona’s water solutions are encouraged to participate in the solicitation process. Detailed information and access to the solicitation documents are available at ltwaf.azwifa.gov.
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