Arizona will receive $6 million for water infrastructure projects funded through Rep. Greg Stanton’s Arizona-centered $150 million environmental infrastructure authority under a Fiscal Year ’22 Work Plan released by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers today.

Stanton pushed for an additional $4 million to support Arizona’s environmental infrastructure authority, which provides grants to small, rural or tribal communities throughout the state to address water infrastructure needs, in the omnibus appropriations bill. The bill was signed into law in March.

This builds on the $18.45 million Stanton secured earlier this year under the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law for 10 projects and $900,000 included in Fiscal Year 2021 for a Pascua Yaqui water line. Since January 2021, 16 projects across the state have been funded through Stanton’s authority, totaling more than $24 million.

“Arizona is already experiencing the harmful effects of climate change. These funds will go a long way to make Arizona communities—and our state as a whole—more resilient and better prepared to protect our water,” Stanton said.

The projects funded through Stanton’s authority in FY22 include:

  • $2.9 million for the City of Maricopa. The funds will construct an aquifer recharge facility to allow for class A+ recycled water to be recharged within the city, adding sustainability and resiliency to the existing water supply.

Maricopa Mayor Christian Price said: “We thank Congressman Stanton for his continued leadership and support for the Environmental Infrastructure program. Because of his assistance, Maricopa will receive $2.9 million for its new aquifer recharge facility. This project will allow excess class A+ recycled water to be recharged within the City. In addition, recharging the aquifer will add to the sustainability and resiliency of our local water supplies as we continue to grow at an exponential rate. We are incredibly grateful for Congressman Stanton’s assistance in creating this new program and for his support in helping us secure these important funds.”

  • $1.95 million for the City of Tolleson. Tolleson is currently relying on a 10-year Intergovernmental Agreement with the City of Phoenix to treat and deliver the city’s Salt River Project water allotment. Under this agreement, Tolleson must maintain a backup water system to meet demand, however, due to cost, city does not have a backup system to meet current water supply demands. These funds will help the city construct a new well to meet demands and provide storage tank capacity to meet fire demands when needed.

Tolleson Mayor Juan Rodriguez said: “This is a huge victory for the City of Tolleson. This funding will allow us to construct a new well site that will serve our residents on the west side of the City while also allowing us to maintain a back-up water system to meet the City’s growing demand. The new Well Site #9 will also allow the city to increase our drinking water capacity, continue with our goal for better water quality and provide higher pumping capacity that the City desperately needs. Congressman Stanton continues to lead on these important environmental infrastructure projects and we are grateful for his continued support for Tolleson.”

  • $1.1 million for the Buckskin Sanitary District, Town of Parker. The funds will be used to repair, replace and update aging lift stations, force main and filters for the District’s wastewater treatment system and to construct injection wells to support aquifer recharge.

Stanton also secured $500,000 for Rio Salado Oeste in Phoenix for the general reevaluation report necessary to advance this ecosystem restoration project to construction. Rio Salado Oeste is a part of Rio Reimagined, an ongoing green infrastructure project along the Rio Salado spearheaded by the late Sen. John McCain and Rep. Ed Pastor. Once completed, it will connect two existing ecosystem restoration projects, the Rio Salado Habitat Restoration Project to the east and the Tres Rios Wetlands to the west, restoring 19 miles of river corridor through Phoenix to improve flood control and rehabilitate critical wildlife habitat.