SCOTTSDALE, AZ — Scottsdale could lose as much as 80% of its Colorado River water supply in the coming years, according to an expert who spoke at a community water forum Monday night — a warning that left many residents concerned about the city’s long‑term water security.
Roughly 70% of Scottsdale’s municipal tap water comes from the Colorado River, a source that has been under increasing strain from drought, population growth, and shrinking reservoirs. That dependence, experts said, makes the city especially vulnerable.
“I think the city is at a crossroads,” resident Natalie Chrisman Lazar told ABC15.
Others questioned how Scottsdale will adapt if the river continues to decline. “What alternatives are there to the Colorado River?” resident James Tinnon asked. “If things don’t change from the way things are going, it’s going to eventually run dry.”
Meteorologists with the National Weather Service in Tempe, who monitor water resources statewide, emphasized that cities in the Valley still have enough water for now. But they cautioned that long‑term planning is essential.
“We need to plan for more people and less water in the future,” said Mark O’Malley, the agency’s lead meteorologist.
City leaders echoed that message, stressing the need to diversify Scottsdale’s water portfolio. Councilwoman Solange Whitehead said relying heavily on a single source is no longer sustainable.
“We don’t want to rely on just one source of water primarily,” Whitehead said. “What we’d rather have is diverse water sources."
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Scottsdale is evaluating four major strategies to reduce its dependence on the Colorado River: expanding water recycling, partnering with Phoenix to process wastewater, raising Bartlett Dam to increase storage capacity, and tapping into groundwater reserves.
But none of those options come without cost.
“As Arizona grows, all the other municipalities are looking at the same kind of water sources we are,” said Dan Schweiker, chairman of the city’s Budget Review Commission. “So there’s a little bit of a bidding war on some of that.”
Residents worry those costs could eventually fall on them.
“What will happen is our water will become more and more expensive if we don’t take proactive measures now,” Chrisman Lazar said.
City officials say planning efforts are underway, but the timeline — and price tag — are still being worked on.
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