The head of a state agency that’s looking for new water sources for Arizona is unhappy with the governor’s budget proposal. Two years ago, then-Gov. Doug Ducey and Arizona lawmakers agreed to invest $1 billion in a desalination plant, among other projects to augment Arizona’s water supply. The money was to be allocated over three years. But last year’s budget included roughly half of the $333 million expected for the Water Infrastructure Finance Authority, or WIFA. And Gov. Katie Hobbs has proposed just $33 million for the agency in her plan for the upcoming fiscal year. All of that has Chuck Podolak concerned. He’s WIFA’s director, and has been speaking out about the need to fully fund his decades-old agency. He joined The Show to talk more about it and the conversation began with where the authority is in the area of trying to find new sources of water for the state.

Related articles: 

• 12 News – Phoenix: Arizona rainfall totals from Jan. 22 winter storm
• Arizona Republic: Commentary – DR Horton inks water deal that could bring thousands of new homes