On August 7, Arizona Governor Katie Hobbs visited San Simon, a small town in eastern Arizona, to announce $1.5 million in state assistance for a new well after the community was experiencing its second significant water outage in less than a year.
The visit brought attention to the hazardous water situation facing Arizona's isolated rural towns as repair workers attempted to restore water access to almost 350 families who had been without running water.
During her visit, Hobbs emphasized the state's responsibility to ensure reliable water infrastructure for all Arizonans, regardless of location.
"Today I visited San Simon, where we invested $1.5M to drill a new well and ensure this community has the water it needs.” Katie Hobbs stated on August 7th.
“For too long, families here have faced water outages that disrupt daily life. This funding is part of the $12M we've allocated statewide to strengthen rural water systems because from classrooms to kitchens, every tap should flow.”
The current water issue in San Simon highlights the difficulties of preserving dependable utilities in Arizona's isolated desert areas, where having access to water determines whether a community is livable or neglected.
Residents endured long periods without plumbing or running water for the second time in a year due to the recent outage.
The $12 million statewide initiative to improve rural water systems in Arizona includes the San Simon investment. The governor's visit highlighted how much infrastructure investment is needed to maintain basic services.
Hobbs' announcement happened at the same time as larger federal efforts to help water infrastructure.
On July 31st, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced more than $12 million in grant funding for states and tribes to create underground installation control programs that promote energy projects and safeguard drinking water sources.
Jessica Kramer, EPA Senior Advisor, commended the cooperative strategy.: "States and tribes understand their water resources and underground geology best. With $12 million in EPA grant funding, they will be able to solidify and expand permitting and oversight of underground injection to protect sources of drinking water while bolstering projects that support economic growth and job creation," said EPA Senior Advisor Jessica Kramer.
"Coordinating with state and tribal partners to protect the environment through cooperative federalism is a pillar of our Great American Comeback initiative, and a foundational approach to ensuring that all Americans can rely on clean and safe water."
The Safe Drinking Water Act-authorized federal funding aims to help Arizona in managing underground water injection wells that store or dispose of different fluids in buried rock formations.
Along with restoring basic water service and avoiding further outages are still the top priorities for San Simon residents.
"Every Arizonan deserves reliable access to clean water.” Hobbs expressed.
