1. United States
2. Ariz.
3. Letter

I urge you to oppose HB2030 when it comes before the House Natural Resources, Energy and Water Committee on Tuesday. This bill would eliminate education and research from eligibility for water conservation grants under Arizona Revised Statutes Title 49, Chapter 1332, removing critical tools that help Arizona residents and communities reduce water consumption. Education programs teach homeowners, businesses, and agricultural operations practical methods to conserve water in their daily operations. Research initiatives identify new technologies and strategies that make conservation more effective and affordable. Removing these components from grant eligibility undermines the foundation of successful water conservation efforts across the state. Arizona faces ongoing water scarcity challenges that require comprehensive solutions. The Colorado River Basin continues to experience historic drought conditions, and groundwater depletion threatens rural communities and agricultural operations throughout the state. Effective water conservation depends on both implementing proven technologies and developing new approaches through research. It also requires educating water users about best practices so they can make informed decisions about their consumption. Restricting grant funding to exclude education and research creates an artificial barrier that weakens Arizona's water conservation strategy. Communities need access to current information about water-saving techniques, and researchers need support to develop innovations that address our unique desert climate challenges. These investments deliver long-term benefits by changing behavior and creating sustainable practices that reduce water demand for decades. Representative Griffin's HB2030 moves Arizona in the wrong direction at a time when we need to expand, not limit, our water conservation toolkit. I ask you to vote no on this bill and preserve the full range of eligible activities under the water conservation grant program. Arizona's water future depends on supporting every effective approach to reducing consumption, including the education and research that make conservation efforts successful.