At the Dec. 17, 2025, meeting, the Queen Creek Town Council approved Resolution No. 1654-25, affirming the Town’s commitment to water self-sufficiency. The Town has been working for nearly 10 years implementing a strategic vision for the Town’s water future, creating a more diversified water supply. Last month, the Council approved funding a second purchase from Harquahala Valley, transitioning away from local groundwater pumping and replenishment obligations through Central Arizona Groundwater Replenishment District (CAGRD). This additional water makes 90% of the Town’s water supply insulated from water cuts and drought conditions.

“The actions approved at the Nov. 19 Town Council meeting align with the Town’s strategic priorities of a secure future and effective government,” shared Queen Creek Mayor Julia Wheatley. “As a relatively young community, the Town of Queen Creek has been actively working on a water strategy for years that moves us away from local groundwater pumping. It is exciting to see all of the research, planning and important decisions culminating in these historic policy decisions. And I am so appreciative of the opportunity to affirm the action taken last month that moves us substantially closer to water self-sufficiency.”

At the Nov. 19, 2025, meeting, the Town Council approved three items directly related to the Town’s water strategy:

• Resolution 1649-25, authorizing the sale, execution and authorization of Certificates of Participation
• Resolution 1653-25, authorizing the application for a long-term water augmentation fund loan from the Water Infrastructure Finance Authority
• Resolution 1650-25, evaluate and develop a new, future water resource fee

The affirmation supports securing a more reliable and locally controlled water future by:

• Reducing local groundwater pumping for current customers.
• Moving customers away from CAGRD.
• Ensuring more stable and sustainable costs for customers.
• Owning a water portfolio with 100-year assets that are less susceptible to drought conditions.
• Becoming a designated water provider earlier than projected.

At the Dec. 17, 2025, meeting, the Council also approved Resolution No. 1652-25, offsetting customer CAGRD fees at the highest allowable rate for Fiscal Year (FY) 2026-27. While Queen Creek has ample groundwater, replenishing it is expensive. Most Queen Creek water customers are enrolled in CAGRD to replenish groundwater that is used, in compliance with the 1980 Groundwater Management Act. In 2018 and 2019, the Queen Creek Town Council approved policies to offset CAGRD fees at the highest allowable rate as an interim solution until the Town became a designated water provider. Since 2018, the Town has saved water customers enrolled in CAGRD approximately $58 million. With the increasing costs of CAGRD, continuing to offset the fees beyond FY26-27 is unsustainable, and will align with the Town’s timeline to become a designated water provider, removing CAGRD fees from individual water customers.

For more information, visit QueenCreekAZ.gov/WaterFuture. To watch the meeting, visit QueenCreekAZ.gov/WatchMeetings.

Media Contact
Constance Halonen-Wilson, Communications & Marketing Manager
480-358-3195
QCPIO@QueenCreekAZ.gov