Prepared by

Pima Association of Governments

for

Water Quality Subcommittee of EPAC

On August 16, 2001, PAG held a Water Quality Subcommittee Forum featuring committees and professional groups in the Tucson area that regularly include presentations on water-related issues. The following report is based on the minutes from that meeting.

In August 2001, PAG asked representatives from local committees or professional groups to present a brief overview of their meetings to the Water Quality Subcommittee of PAG’s Environmental Planning Advisory Committee. Speakers were asked to provide meeting locations, times, general topics of discussion, and the general profile of their attendees. A total of 13 meetings were discussed at the August meeting. With the exception of SAWUA, the Southern Arizona Water Resources Association, these meetings can be divided into two general categories.

Informational Meetings Run by Professional Societies These meetings are generally used to inform members about current issues. Attendees mainly include people that are working in the professions of hydrology, engineering, or other environmental professions. Each of these groups also support activities outside of the meeting format.

AHS: Arizona Hydrologic Society

SAEMS: Southern Arizona Environmental Management Society

SAWARA: Southern Arizona Water Resources Association

Water Educators Roundtable

Advisory Committees Run by Government Agencies These meetings generally advise government agencies about policy or financial issues. They are also used to disseminate information from the agency to the members and attendees. Members are appointed or elected and attendees mainly consist of members, government staff, and various other agency representatives.

CABs: Community Advisory Boards (ADEQ)

CWAC: Citizen Water Advisory Committee (Tucson Water)

EPAC: Environmental Planning Advisory Committee (PAG)

EQAC: Environmental Quality Advisory Council (PDEQ)

GUAC: Groundwater Users Advisory Council (ADWR)

SAC: Stormwater Advisory Committee (COT, TDOT)

WMAC: Wastewater Management Advisory Committee (PCWMD)

WQS: Water Quality Subcommittee of EPAC (PAG)

The August 2001 meeting of Water Quality Subcommittee was chaired by Pat Clymer from ADEQ and was staffed by Claire Zucker, PAG. The meeting was held at 1:30 pm on August 16, 2001 in the PAG conference room at PAG’s offices, 177 N. Church, Tucson, Arizona. Besides the presentations about meetings, discussion focussed on the proposed reorganization of the Water Quality Subcommittee in light of the other meetings held in the region. These discussions are not summarized in this report. The following people attended the meeting.

The following descriptions are based on the Water Quality Subcommittee minutes. This meeting was held at PAG August 16, 2001.

Presenter: Mike Block, Metropolitan Domestic Water Improvement District

The Arizona Hydrological Society (AHS) is a state-wide professional society, with Chapters in Tucson, Phoenix and Flagstaff. AHS has about 450 active members, and approximately 150 of them are in the Tucson area. Monthly meetings are held on 2^nd Tuesdays and meetings are held at various locations including the WRRC, the USGS, and the offices of Errol Montgomery & Associates. The Tucson Chapter generally sponsors two field trips per year. A monthly newsletter and a website are used to notify members of upcoming meetings and events.

Approximately 20 people attend per meeting, but more people may attend depending on the speaker and the topic being discussed. Attendees generally include people from consulting firms, government agencies and University of Arizona, both students and professors. Members of the general public also occasionally attend. Topics range from very technical presentations to talks that are appropriate for general audiences, such as a travel slide show.

Presenter: Pat Clymer, ADEQ

Community Advisory Boards (CABs) have been established for each of the groundwater contamination sites managed under the Water Quality Assurance Revolving Fund (WQARF). Sites listed on the WQARF registry are also known as state Superfund sites. CABs are used to disseminate information about the WQARF sites to surrounding neighborhoods and to the community at large. CAB members must either live or have a strong interest in the neighborhood surrounding the sites. Each CAB is required to have between 5 and 20 members.

Standing agenda items at the CAB meetings include site updates, a call to the public, and usually an educational item. ADEQ seeks to educate CAB members about their remediation site, so that the CAB members can effectively act as liaisons between ADEQ and the general public. Each CAB creates and ratifies its own charter, after which time, the CAB under direction from the two Co-Chairs decide on the meeting agendas, the types of presentations, and the level of support they want from ADEQ. Meetings generally last two hours and they are well attended by the public. Meetings are taped and minutes are written by ADEQ staff. Until recently, almost every CAB has met on a monthly basis, but they are probably moving to bimonthly schedule.

Presenter: Bitch Basefsky, Tucson Water

The City of Tucson sponsors the Citizen Water Advisory Committee (CWAC), a monthly public meeting, to get feedback on rate making and other Tucson Water business items. The committee provides opinion on rate changes and on Tucson Water’s 6-year financial plan. CWAC is also kept abreast of Tucson Water’s financial status, where the money comes from, how much money is in the bank, and how Tucson Water allocates costs and funds. CWAC also reviews various water policies, water resources, conservation and education issues, and they help Tucson Water with water supply and resource planning.

CWAC generally meets on the first Tuesday of each month, although more frequent meetings may be held if issues are pressing. Meetings are held at 7:00 AM in Tucson Water’s building (310 West Alameda). Agendas and meeting minutes are filed with the City Clerk and all meetings are open to the public. The committee oversees four standing subcommittees: 1) finance, 2) technical, 3) planning and policy, and 4) conservation and education. Most subcommittees meet every other month, but some of them meet two or three times per month when important issues are being discussed.

Each of the fifteen CWAC members must be Tucson Water customers to be eligible for the committee. They are required to serve a four-year term and they may serve two consecutive terms. Members are nominated by Mayor and Council and the City Manager and they need to have professional or technical competence in areas such as accounting, business, financial management, hydrology, water resource planning, water system engineering, water law, utility rate making, resource economics, or public health. In addition, two to four members of the public, other water providers, and regulators sometimes attend meetings.

Presenter: Claire Zucker, PAG

Pima Association of Government hosts two public environmental meetings, which include presentations on water issues. The Environmental Planning Advisory Committee (EPAC) and its subcommittee Water Quality Subcommittee (WQS) are standing advisory committees for PAG’s Director, Management Committee, and Regional Council.

EPAC membership is delineated through the Bylaws and members represent PAG’s member jurisdictions, the citizenry of those jurisdictions as well as industries and interest groups in the region. Although one of EPAC’s purposes is to advise the overseeing committees, it has largely served as an informational forum in the past. Approximately 20% of the presentations during year 2000 were on environmental or science issues, 20% covered law or upcoming legislation, 50% dealt with community planning issues, and 10% were on other topics. EPAC also approves 208 Plan Amendments for new or significantly changed wastewater treatment facilities, and sometimes provides comment on state or federal rules or support for local initiatives. Ms. Zucker said that meetings are held almost every month and there are usually two topics presented at each meeting. Attendees generally include EPAC members, other agency representatives, and occasionally members of the public. Approximately 25 people attend each meeting.

Water Quality Subcommittee (WQS) is a standing advisory committee of EPAC, which primarily serves as an information forum. During year 2000, approximately 60% of the presentations were on environmental or science issues, 50% covered law or upcoming legislation, and 25% were on community planning topics. Fifteen to twenty people generally attend the WQS meetings, and attendees generally include agency representatives, a few citizens and a few representatives of local interest groups. WQS also provides comment on local and regional issues and reviews the 208 plan amendments before they are submitted to EPAC.

Until recently, the bulk of the meetings consisted of two presentations at each meeting. In 1999, the group began holding focus meetings approximately twice a year. These meetings focussed on a topic and included numerous presenters on that topic. The purpose of the focus meeting was to hear variety of perspectives on a particular issue, to create an environment for productive discussion of that issue, and to create a small report documenting the opinions and positions expressed at the meeting.

Presenter: Francis Dominguez, Pima County

The Environmental Quality Advisory Council (EQAC) meets quarterly or more frequently if necessary. EQAC has 10 members that are appointed by the Pima County Board of Supervisors at large. EQAC reviews issues and makes recommendations to the Board. EQAC is responsible for review of the County’s permit fee structure, various environmental programs, and the County’s regulation of private water companies, such as co-ops. Meetings are held at the City Library. Although the meetings are public and are posted publicly, the public does not generally attend. Attendees usually include the EQAC members and Pima County staff.

Presenter: Linda Stitzer, Arizona Department of Water Resources

GUAC is a forum to discuss water resource issues and to make recommendations to the ADWR Director. The Council has five members that are statutorily required to represent the interests of the Tucson Active Management Area. Members are chosen to represent a wide spectrum of interests. Currently, the members include a public citizen, the manager of Oro Valley, a representative from SAHBA, a farmer, and the Director of Tucson Water. Members serve a six-year term. Attendees generally have some ties with local agencies, but a few members of the public attend occasionally.

GUAC is responsible for making recommendations to ADWR’s Director about the groundwater withdrawal fee and the allocation of funds generated by the fee. In the past, the fund has been used for assistance to conservation programs, recharge planning, augmentation, subsidence studies and other efforts. GUAC has the added responsibility of reviewing and making recommendations on ADWR’s groundwater management plans, which are adopted every ten years, and reviewing the Arizona Water Banking Authority’s plan of operation every year. The group has also taken positions on community issues that involve water resources. The final decisions on these items are made by ADWR’s Director. Meetings are held every other month, and meeting time and dates are flexible. Information about the meeting is provided through a mailing list. Detailed minutes are written for the meetings.

Presenter: Catesby Knight, City of Tucson Department of Transportation

Until recently the City of Tucson Department of Transportation ran both the Stormwater Technical Advisory Committee (STAC) and the Citizens Stormwater Management Committee (CSMAC). These committees were merged to form the Stormwater Advisory Committee (SAC), which is comprised of a mixture of technical and non-technical people. SAC reviews the implementation of the Tucson Stormwater Management Study, watercourse policies, and management of uses in the regulatory floodplain, and revegetation and maintenance of washes. In addition, the SAC has a technical advisory committee to review variances for development projects, all-weather access issues and other stormwater issues that affect the public.

The 15-member committee includes two professional civil engineers, two surface water hydrologists or water quality specialists, one professional biologist, one professional land use planner, one water resource scientist, and one advocate for wash preservation. In addition, each Council member and the Mayor may appoint one member. Members of the public may also attend. Personnel from City Engineering and the TDOT Stormwater Section attend and staff the meeting. SAC will meet on a monthly basis, but the time and date of the meeting has not been established.

Presenter: Barbara Ricca, Southern Arizona Environmental Management Society

The Southern Arizona Environmental Management Society mission is to promote awareness of, and education on, environmental issues. Another goal of the group is to provide a forum to exchange information between the private sector, government, industry, and the public. SAEMS is a non-profit organization founded in 1987, and it has approximately 165 members in Southern Arizona.

The group hosts a hazardous waste seminar every year and a pollution prevention seminar is co-hosted with ADEQ every other year. They also support a scholarship program.

Presenter: Elaine Nathanson, Southern Arizona Water Resources Association

The Southern Arizona Water Resources Association has been in existence for 19 years, but for the past several years, it has been a shadow organization to the Tucson Regional Water Council (TRWC). Recently, the TRWC was disbanded because their purpose had been largely achieved, and now, SAWARA has revised their mission and objectives, creating a new organizational profile.

SAWARA seeks to foster public awareness of water resources management in southern Arizona through education, community outreach, and regional coalition building. A formal work program has not been developed yet. SAWARA has approximately 200 members. The biggest issue that came up in a recent meeting was full utilization of CAP water and looking at regional management issues. SAWARA will continue to publish a monthly newsletter. The SAWARA website is in need of maintenance. Ms. Nathanson said that attendance has historically been engineers, hydrologists, and people working for developers and real estate companies. The group will probably hold monthly program committee meetings, but the schedule has not been confirmed.

Presenter: Warren Tenney, Metropolitan Domestic Water Improvement District

The Southern Arizona Water Users Association (SAWUA) was created by water providers in the region so that they could discuss water related state-level legislation and pertinent water issues. At meetings, SAWUA members also discuss their efforts to deal with state agencies such as ADEQ and ADWR. SAWUA holds monthly meetings on the 2^nd Tuesday of each month.

SAWUA membership includes Avra Water Coop, BKW Farms, Community Water Company of Green Valley, Cortaro Marana Irrigation District, Flowing Wells Irrigation District, Kai Farms, Marana Water Department, Metro Water District, Oro Valley Water Utility, Pima County Wastewater Management, and Tucson Water. A big effort has been made to include agricultural interests. Water Meetings are generally attended by utility managers and although there are 12 members, usually 9 or 10 of them are in attendance. Meetings are not open to the public.

The group is currently very interested in the Governor’s Water Management Commission, but many other water management issues are regularly addressed. Lobbying efforts are supported by the group. There is no direct link between SAWUA and AMWUA the Phoenix area sister committee.

Jim Washburne, Sustainability of Semi-Arid Hydrology Science & Technology Center

The Water Educators Roundtable began their quarterly meetings in year 2000. The group was started through support from the University of Arizona sponsored program SAHRA (Sustainability of Semi-Arid Hydrology in Riparian Areas), the Water Resources Research Center, the Tucson Regional Water Council and the U of A Cooperative Extension Office. The objective of the group is to improve communication and coordination among the water educators and education groups in southern Arizona. Due to limited resource issues, they thought a better job could be done if the groups collaborate.

At meetings, members discuss topics such as conservation issues, assessment of programs, and water education resources, and describe their success at connecting with the public. Although the group has approximately 100 members, typically ~20 people attend the meetings. Attendees include water providers, university outreach program coordinators, classroom training groups, water education consultants, and teachers. The group has met quarterly in the last year, but the meeting schedule for the upcoming year is uncertain.

SAHRA plans to continue maintenance of a list serve, and a website with information about the Water Educator’s Roundtable, with a news clipping service and other water curriculum resources.

Presenter: Cheryl Traiger, Pima County Wastewater Management Department

ADEQ Arizona Department of Environmental Quality

ADWR Arizona Department of Water Resources

AHS Arizona Hydrological Society

CAB Community Advisory Board

CSMAC Citizens Stormwater Management Advisory Committee – merged into SAC

EPAC Environmental Planning Advisory Committee

EQAC Environmental Quality Advisory Council

GUAC Groundwater Users Advisory Committee

PCWMD Pima County Wastewater Management Department

PDEQ Pima County Department of Environmental Quality

SAC Stormwater Advisory Committee

SAEMS Southern Arizona Environmental Management Society, Inc.

SAWARA Southern Arizona Water Resources Association

SAWUA Southern Arizona Water Users Association

STAC Stormwater Technical Advisory Committee – merged into SAC

TRWC Tucson Regional Water Council

USGS United States Geological Survey

WQARF Water Quality Assurance Revolving Fund

WQS Water Quality Subcommittee of EPAC

WRRC Water Resources Research Center, affiliated with the U. of A.

Note: Meetings listed alphabetically. All meetings are held in the Tucson metropolitan area.