How does the cost of water impact growth and
the environment?
Date: Tuesday, December 10
Location: Museum of Northern Arizona
Facilitated by: Dr. Matthew Goodwin, NAU Department of Philosophy
6:00 p.m.
Welcome and Introductions
Dr. Heidi Wayment, Director of NAU’s Compassion Project and Psychology
Department Chair
Andrea Houchard, Director, Philosophy in the Public Interest
6:15 p.m.
7:20 p.m.
Dr. Matthew Goodwin, NAU Department of Philosophy

What factors influence the cost of our water?

How does water cost influence economic development and growth?

What kinds of laws and regulations affect water cost, and which are most
beneficial or harmful?

How do we balance our needs and the needs of our natural environment?
Recap of discussion
We are grateful for support from NAU’s McKenzie Endowment for Democracy and the Richard Wood Fund.
What factors influence the cost of our water?
Safe Drinking Water Act and Clean Water Act
These laws set minimum water quality standards for our drinking water and water we discharge into the
environment.
Sourcing water
Surface water tends to require more treatment
than groundwater sources. The pumping and
transport of groundwater adds to its cost.
Treatment level requirements.
Treatment levels are determined by the needs
of the end user. Drinking water is regulated
by the EPA and requires compliance
sampling and testing. Some chemical
processes require high water quality that
would not be good for consumption.
Demand
In Arizona, 69% of our water went to
agriculture, 6% went to industrial uses and
25% went to municipal demand.
What is our water availability?
Arizona water balance
There are five Active Management Areas in
Arizona. AMA’s use more water than is
naturally available within their region.
Throughout Arizona the use of surface water
is proportional to the use of groundwater.
With 13” of average rainfall, Arizona gets 79.5 maf of water per year. Some estimates say we lose 4.4% of
this to evaporation and use around 10% for our own uses. We take away 15% of the available water in AZ
from the environment.
“ W e never know the worth of water till the well is dry. ” -Thomas Fuller
This informational handout was prepared by Gerjen Slim, a Research Assistant for the Watershed Research & Education
Program (WREP).
Hot Topics Café, December 10, 2013
To the Right is the Tucson AMA water balance
sheet. Tucson gets 10% of the water imported by
CAP and mines groundwater for 40% of their
demand. Groundwater mining is pumping more
water than naturally recharges.
Funding our water
The majority of the US population is on public
water systems that are regulated by the EPA. A
public system is 15 connections or serves 25
people. Public systems can raise funds through
impact fees, billing, taxing or applying for grants
from multiple government agencies.
Tucson AMA water balance sheet.
Energy cost of water
We use 12.6% of our electricity generated for
supplying and treating our water.
Permitting
Surface water rights are allocated by Arizona
Department of Water Resources. 1980
Groundwater Code manages Arizona’s aquifers.
Cost of Water
For the Cities listed, first price is the meter cost
per month and the second price is the rate per
1000 gallons.
Flagstaff
$13.40
$3.09
Prescott
$15.40
$3.21
EPA’s national average of $2.00 per 1000
gallons. Cost will increase the further we go to
source our water. Flagstaff wells are 5-12 miles
from the city, Red Gap Ranch wells will be 40
miles from the city increasing transport costs.
How do we balance our needs and the
needs of our natural environment?
We have a limited amount of water in Arizona.
SOURCES: Can be found online
Museum of Northern Arizona


Regionally organized effort for sustainable
supply and demand.
Adjusting our habits and lifestyles.
Hot Topics Café Community Committee
The “hot topics” in the Hot Topics Cafés are selected by community members represent
diverse constituencies and viewpoints. We thank our committee for their participation.
Flagstaff & Winslow
Allan Affeldt
Owner, La Posada; Founder, Winslow Arts Trust; Former Mayor, City
of Winslow; Board Member for: Arizona Town Hall, Arizona Citizens for
the Arts
Joe Boles
Professor Emeritus, Northern Arizona University
Scott Deasy
Deacon of Epiphany Episcopal Church, semi-retired OB/GYN
Coral Evans
Flagstaff City Council
Jean Friedland
Compassion Project
Patty Garcia
Coconino Community College District Governming Baord, Nuestras
Raices, Raymond Educational Foundation Board, US Geological Survey
Jacque Gencarelle
Prevention Program Manager, Northern Arizona Regional Behavioral
Health Authority
Tim Kinney
President and CEO of Kinney Construction Services
Wayne Ranney
Geologist, Author, Grand Canyon river and trail guide, Board Member
for: Flagstaff Festival of Science, Grand Canyon Historical Society
(President), and Museum of Northern Arizona (Emeritus)
Craig Van Slyke
Dean, NAU Franke College of Business
Michael Vincent
Dean, NAU College of Art and Letters
Mary K. Walton
Assistant Superintendent for Curriculum and Instruction, Flagstaff Unified School District
Del Weston
Y.M.C.A. Board, Sedona
Nat White
Lowell Observatory- Retired, Governing Board Coconino Community
College
Randy Wilson
Editor, Arizona Daily Sun
Harriet Young
President, Flagstaff AAUW
Sedona & the Verde Valley
Jennifer Epperson
Executive Director, Imagiventure Foundation
Jane Hausner
Executive Director, Verde Valley Sanctuary
Angela LeFevre
Board and past president of the Democrats of the Red Rocks,
Board Member for: Arizona Planned Parenthood and Keep Sedona Beautiful
Dan McIlroy
Sedona City Council
Elemer Magaziner
Sedona Citizens for Civil Dialogue
John Neville
Executive Director, Sustainable Arizona
Judy Reddington
NAU’s Arts and Letters Advisory Council, Board Member for:
Museum of Northern Arizona, Sedona International Film Festival
Doug Von Gausig
Mayor of Clarkdale, Executive Director of Verde River Institute
Del Weston
Marketing, Hypertherm, Inc., Board Member for: Sedona
Y.M.C.A.
Jessica Williamson
Sedona City Council
Ex officio
Robert Breunig
Museum of Northern Arizona
Andrea Houchard
NAU, Philosophy in the Public Interest
Ron Hubert
Hozho International
Scott Sanicki
Sedona Public Library
Robin Weeks
Osher Lifelong Learning Institute, Yavapai College, Sedona Center
NAU's Philosophy in the Public Interest is non partisan,
and does not endorse any position with respect to the
issues we discuss. Philosophy in the Public Interest is a
neutral convener for civil discourse.