Environment

SB 1176 creates a system for earning "replenishment credits" by storing stormwater in specially permitted underground facilities within the Phoenix Active Management Area. It allows entities (referred to as "storer") to recharge stormwater, with the director crediting 95% of the volume stored annually toward offsetting future groundwater use obligations. These credits can be used within two miles of the storage site to offset groundwater withdrawals or transferred to eligible entities within the same groundwater subbasin. The bill formalizes this credit mechanism under Arizona Revised Statutes sections 45-837.01 and 45-831.01, directly affecting water users and developers managing stormwater in Phoenix-area aquifers.

This bill allocates $3 million from the state general fund for salt cedar mitigation along specific sections of the Gila River, managed by the Arizona Department of Forestry and Fire Management. The funds will target areas west of State Route 85 to Gillespie Dam and west of McPhaul Bridge to the Gila River/Colorado River confluence. It is a funding bill with no new policy requirements, exempting the appropriation from standard lapsing rules under Arizona law.

This bill amends Arizona law to prohibit the use of lead in public water systems, requiring all new or modified water infrastructure to meet specific non-lead standards before construction or installation. It affects public water system operators, municipalities, and construction companies by mandating that plans and specifications for water treatment plants, distribution systems, and related devices be submitted for review to ensure compliance with lead-free requirements. The legislation also establishes fee structures for plan reviews, sets simplified procedures for small systems serving fewer than 3,300 people, and requires water quality testing and reporting to prevent lead contamination in drinking water.