Newsletter + Legal Alerts

Legal Alert: The Superior Court granted Home Builders Association of Central Arizona motion for summary judgment in the homebuilders’ lawsuit against Arizona Department of Water Resources on April 21st, 2026. This could potentially provide a path forward for residential development on groundwater in the Valley.

The Challenged “Rules”

In November 2024, ADWR released an updated groundwater model for the Phoenix AMA. Based on this model, ADWR shifted from site-specific assessments to two new “AMA-Wide” standards. HBACA challenged the following two applications of the Phoenix AMA model:

• AMA-Wide Unmet Demand Rule: If modeling predicts that even a single well in the Phoenix AMA cannot meet its demand within 100 years, ADWR concludes that groundwater is not physically available anywhere in the domain.

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Legal Alert:Buckeye and Queen Creek Secure Historic Water Approvals to Augment their Water Portfolios with Imported Harquahala Water

Buckeye and Queen Creek Secure Historic Approvals to Augment their Water Portfolios with Imported Harquahala Water 

By the Gammage & Burnham Water Group: Alexandra M. Arboleda, Grady Gammage, Jr., Michael J. Pearce, Kyle R. Stenseth, and Sean F. Krieg

The City of Buckeye and the Town of Queen Creek have secured approvals to augment their water supplies by importing water from the Harquahala groundwater basin.  On July 18, 2025 the Arizona Department of Water Resources (“ADWR”) issued a decision and order approving applications by each municipality to transport the water pursuant to A.R.S.

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Legal Alert: Arizona Corporation Commission Filing Requirements

New Arizona Corporation Commission Filing Requirements

By: Timothy Forsman, Christopher Raddatz, & Jacqueline Marzocca.

The Arizona Corporation Commission (the “ACC”) voted unanimously last month to implement the following new policies:

The ACC will now require two forms of ID when filing on behalf of a business – customers may present either (a) one Primary Form of ID and one Secondary Form of ID; or (b) two Primary Forms of ID. Primary and Secondary Forms of ID are listed below:

a.

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Arizona Enacts Ag-to-Urban Program: Governor Hobbs Signs Bipartisan Legislation to Save Water by Facilitating Development on Farmland

By the Gammage & Burnham Water Group: Alexandra M. Arboleda, Grady Gammage, Jr., Michael J. Pearce, Kyle R. Stenseth, and Sean F. Krieg

Today Governor Hobbs signed Senate Bill 1611, creating a new “ag-to-urban” Groundwater Conservation Program to save water by facilitating municipal development on farmland consistent with the Assured Water Supply program. The legislation’s 26-4 supermajority vote in the Arizona Senate and 35-20 majority vote in the Arizona House reflect the program’s broad and bipartisan support.

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BREAKING: Arizona Passes Ag-to-Urban Bill: G&B Clients Facilitate Bipartisan Effort to Save Groundwater, Provide Pathway for Development on Farmland

Arizona Legislature Passes Ag-to-Urban Bill: G&B Clients Facilitate Bipartisan Effort to Save Groundwater while Providing a Pathway for Development on Farmland

By the Gammage & Burnham Water Group: Alexandra M. Arboleda, Grady Gammage, Jr., Michael J. Pearce, Kyle R. Stenseth, and Sean F. Krieg

Representing the most significant changes to Arizona groundwater law in decades, the Arizona Legislature has passed the “ag-to-urban” bill with bipartisan support. This historic moment, creating a new ag-to-urban program, is a unique opportunity to fulfill Arizona’s need for more housing while saving water and protecting our aquifers.

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