Arizona is desperate for water. So much so that its taxpayers are willing to invest in treating Tijuana’s sewage so it’s drinkable. How would that help Arizona? The state would ask Mexico for some of its Colorado River water in exchange. That’s a plan proposed by EPCOR, a private Canadian water utility. The Arizona state legislature granted $1 billion to the Water Infrastructure Finance Authority of Arizona, or WIFA, to jumpstart projects that could make new water, like the one proposed in the Tijuana River Valley. Under the proposal, Arizona could help build a wastewater-to-drinking water facility (like the one San Diego is building called Pure Water) at the federally-owned South Bay International Wastewater Treatment Plant or the city-owned South Bay Water Reclamation Plant. 

Other Arizona drought news:

• KJZZ (Phoenix): Should Arizona consider buying back groundwater rights? Here’s how it’s going in Nevada