Residents of Rio Verde Foothills, an unincorporated area north of Scottsdale, have been grappling with a water crisis for the past three months. In an effort to conserve water during a drought, the city of Scottsdale cut off the community’s water supply, leaving residents without access to water.
However, on Tuesday night, members of the community met to discuss potential solutions to the crisis. Two petitions were proposed at the meeting to address the issue before the arrival of summertime.
The first petition calls for the Maricopa County Board of Supervisors and Scottsdale to work together to find an immediate temporary solution. The second petition is more aggressive, requesting that the state legislature require Scottsdale to allow the Canadian company Epcor to transport water to Rio Verde Foothills homeowners through its pipes.
Many residents spoke up at the meeting, including Jeff Schwartz, who urged Scottsdale to embrace the proposal with Epcor and swiftly resolve the issue for those affected.
An attorney also addressed the gathering, stating that a significant number of plaintiffs need to come forward to file a lawsuit. The attorney explained that around 200 to 300 plaintiffs would be required to initiate the litigation, but currently, only a few dozen have come forward.
The community remains hopeful for a resolution and is calling for action to be taken to bring an end to the water crisis in Rio Verde Foothills.