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PHOENIX, July 16, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Global Water Resources, Inc. (NASDAQ: GWRS), a pure-play water resource management company, today recognized the recent passage of Arizona’s Assured Water Supply “Ag-to-Urban” program as a transformative development for water sustainability, housing, and economic growth across the state.
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The program allows landowners who cease agricultural operations to convert their water rights to the municipal sector for use in new development. By supporting the conversion of irrigated agricultural land—historically consuming an average of 3.8 acre-feet of water per acre annually in Phoenix Active Management Area (AMA) and 3.0 acre-feet in the Pinal AMA—into residential uses that require only a fraction of that volume, the program directly alleviates pressure on aquifers while enabling new development opportunities.
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“We extend our sincere gratitude to Governor Katie Hobbs and Senator T.J. Shope (R-Coolidge) for their leadership in securing legislation that meaningfully advances water stewardship and regional resilience,” said Ron Fleming, president and CEO of Global Water Resources.
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The initiative is expected to significantly benefit the company’s Global Water – Santa Cruz Water Company, Inc. (GW-Santa Cruz) and Global Water – Palo Verde Utilities Company, Inc. (GW-Palo Verde) utilities that provide water, wastewater and recycled water services in Pinal County, Arizona. These two utilities are the company’s largest, collectively representing more than 56,000 active service connections in and around the City of Maricopa which represents approximately 87% of the company’s total active service connections. In addition, this initiative is expected to also benefit the long-term sustainability of the state’s aquifers including the aquifer beneath the City of Maricopa.
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According to the Arizona Department of Water Resources, up to 384,000 acres of agricultural land in the Phoenix and Pinal AMAs are eligible for ag-to-urban conversion, representing an area with the potential to support over 1 million new homes. Designed to conserve substantial amounts of water, the program supports developer compliance within AMAs for a 100-year assured water supply requirement, helping bridge the gap between water availability and Arizona’s need for housing. Irrigation for agriculture represents the largest use of water in Arizona, consuming about 74 percent of the available water supply.
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“We believe this legislation creates a sustainable path forward, allowing for the reallocation of water in a way that benefits both the environment and our growing communities,” said Jake Lenderking, SVP of Water Resources and Legislative Affairs at Global Water Resources. “It reflects a pragmatic approach to water management, economic development, and housing accessibility.”
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The company anticipates the Ag-to-Urban program will help advance its strategic focus on Total Water Management (TWM) across its service areas. The company further believes its regionally planned service areas can ultimately serve hundreds of thousands of additional potential service connections by continuing to apply its TWM stewardship practices, supported by its existing permitted water supplies and enhanced through the new benefits of Ag-to-Urban.
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About Global Water Resources
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Global Water Resources, Inc. is a leading water resource management company that owns and operates 39 systems which provide water, wastewater, and recycled water service. The company’s service areas are located primarily in growth corridors around metropolitan Phoenix and Tucson. Global Water recycles over 1 billion gallons of water annually with 18.1 billion gallons recycled since 2004.
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