Scottsdale council debates water strategic plan amid budget cuts to conservation and recycling projects

Scottsdale council debates water strategic plan amid budget cuts to conservation and recycling projectsA petition urging the city to restore funding for water infrastructure and staff in the preliminary 2026-27 budget has highlighted divisions over Scottsdale's long-term water planning and reliance on the Colorado River.

A citizen petition with 125 signatures called for reinstating water conservation and operations positions eliminated in the preliminary 2026-27 capital improvements budget.

The petition requested restored funding for the Advanced Purified Water Recycling Project and infrastructure improvements to increase storage capacity at Bartlett Dam.

Scottsdale relies on the Colorado River for approximately 70% of its annual water supply, a source facing severe federal cuts.

The council voted to have the City Manager respond to the petition and schedule a future broader work study session, rejecting a motion for immediate public discussion.

Scottsdale, Arizona, is facing pushback over preliminary budget cuts to water conservation and infrastructure projects, exposing council divisions over the city's long-term water security. During an April 28, 2026, City Council meeting, resident Mark Renz—a former director of regulatory affairs for the Association of California Water Agencies—presented a petition with 125 signatures demanding adherence to the city's existing Water Strategic Plan. Renz highlighted the city's vulnerability, noting that Scottsdale relies on the Colorado River for approximately 70% of its annual water supply amid a 27-year regional drought and potential Federal Bureau of Reclamation cuts of 1.48 million acre-feet. The petition specifically requested that the council reinstate water conservation and operations staff positions that were eliminated in the preliminary 2026-27 capital improvements budget. It also urged the council to restore funding to expand the city's Advanced Purified Water Recycling Project and to fund infrastructure improvements aimed at increasing water storage capacity at Bartlett Dam. The requests sparked a debate over how the city manages its water portfolio and department, which Councilwoman Maryann McAllen noted was recently "rearranged." Councilwoman Solange Whitehead pushed to immediately agendize the petition for public discussion, warning that the fast-approaching budget fails to fund projects outlined in the previously approved strategic plan. However, the council ultimately passed an alternate motion introduced by Mayor Lisa Borowsky. The approved motion directs the City Manager to respond directly to the petitioner's specific points and to plan a broader work study session on Scottsdale's water future rather than holding an immediate public forum on the petition. The debate also called into question the standing of the city's guiding water policy. Councilman Barry Graham supported the delay, noting that the existing Water Strategic Plan was passed by a prior council and suggesting that the current council needs to review and potentially revise the plan to address the city's current water security and development needs.