A newly signed bill giving developers the ability to buy and retire farmland in favor of subdivisions has been hailed by supporters as the single biggest improvement in state water law since the landmark Arizona Groundwater Management Act passed 45 years ago. It’s been promoted as a ticket to water savings, since homes typically use significantly less water than cotton fields. It’s also seen as a path to more affordable housing in the Phoenix area and Pinal County, where the law would have an impact. … But what’s called the Ag to Urban law comes with a big question mark that centers on the often downplayed concept of groundwater replenishment. The law will significantly increase the amount of water that must be recharged into the aquifer to compensate for groundwater pumped by new homes that are built on retired farmland. As of now, it’s not clear where that extra water will come from. 

Other groundwater news across the West: 

• Arizona Capitol Times (Phoenix): Sarah Porter: The future of Arizona’s water policy
• Paso Robles Daily News: County Farm Bureau supports Joint Powers Authority for Paso Robles basin
• The Modesto Bee: Free testing offered to detect nitrate in SJ Valley domestic wells