A recent $80 million purchase will bring additional groundwater to Buckeye’s residents. From April 2020 to July 2024, Buckeye grew by 22,800 residents, a gain of 24%. Except for building rental housing, new developments of six lots or more require a guarantee of a 100-year water supply.
A small area called Harquehala sold Buckeye one acre of retired farmland that will supply about 5,900 acre-feet of groundwater annually. This is enough to support 17,000 new homes.
The method of delivery has yet to be determined.
Buckeye previously purchased 2,700 acre-feet from the Colorado River in 2022, but what makes this new purchase historic is that it is groundwater. Buckeye’s current water use is 1,000 acre-feet annually. Their reclaim/reuse system is an outstanding model for other state communities to follow. Wastewater from homes and businesses is collected through 275 miles of sewer lines and sent to a wastewater treatment facility where it is turned into clean water that meets EPA and Safe Water standards. Approximately 2,500 acre-feet are recharged into the aquifer each year.
Buckeye now has enough water to support its projected growth for the next 15-20 years.
By Jeanne Davis
AFGC Environment/Conservation Chairman
Photo 1 Buckeye
