Senate Engrossed House Bill technical correction; assured water supply (now: water improvement district; Willcox basin) State of Arizona House of Representatives Fifty-seventh Legislature First Regular Session 2025 HOUSE BILL 2274 AN ACT providing for a special election to form a domestic water improvement district in the willcox groundwater basin. (TEXT OF BILL BEGINS ON NEXT PAGE)
Senate Engrossed House Bill technical correction; assured water supply (now: water improvement district; Willcox basin)
State of Arizona House of Representatives Fifty-seventh Legislature First Regular Session 2025
HOUSE BILL 2274
Senate Engrossed House Bill
technical correction; assured water supply
(now: water improvement district; Willcox basin)
State of Arizona
House of Representatives
Fifty-seventh Legislature
First Regular Session
2025
HOUSE BILL 2274
AN ACT
providing for a special election to form a domestic water improvement district in the willcox groundwater basin.
(TEXT OF BILL BEGINS ON NEXT PAGE)
Be it enacted by the Legislature of the State of Arizona: Section 1. Willcox groundwater basin; domestic water improvement district; county board of supervisors; election A. On or before July 2, 2026, the Cochise county board of supervisors may vote to place a question on the 2026 general election ballot for the residents of Cochise county that reside within the Willcox groundwater basin to vote on the question of whether to establish a domestic water improvement district that would operate under title 48, chapter 6, Arizona Revised Statutes. B. Notwithstanding any other statute, the domestic water improvement district prescribed in subsection A of this section: 1. May be established only in the portion of the Willcox groundwater basin that is located within Cochise county. 2. May provide for the delivery of drinking water for domestic uses, including by constructing and operating a standpipe, and may provide for delivery of drinking water by water hauling to residents in the Willcox groundwater basin that are located within the boundaries of the domestic water improvement district. 3. May provide for the construction of active or passive stormwater infrastructure in the Willcox groundwater basin for the purpose of increasing groundwater recharge in the basin. 4. Would have the powers and duties as otherwise provided by law for domestic water improvement districts. C. The Cochise county board of supervisors shall establish the proposed boundaries of the domestic water improvement district if the board of supervisors votes to place the question on the ballot as prescribed by subsection A of this section and shall make the boundaries of the proposed domestic water improvement district publicly available before the election. D. All qualified electors who reside within the boundaries of the proposed domestic water improvement district are eligible to vote on the question prescribed by this section. The ballot shall state "Should the domestic water improvement district be formed?" followed by the words "Yes" and "No". If a majority of those qualified electors voting on the question votes to approve the formation of the domestic water improvement district, the domestic water improvement district is established. The Cochise county board of supervisors is deemed to be the board of directors of the domestic water improvement district. E. Notwithstanding any other statute, the formation election prescribed by this section is sufficient to establish the domestic water improvement district and a petition and related procedures to establish the domestic water improvement district are not required. Sec. 2. Cochise county; water improvements program; vote On or before July 2, 2026, the Cochise county board of supervisors shall place on an open meeting agenda and may vote on the issue of whether to establish a water improvements program as provided in section 11-254.09, Arizona Revised Statutes, and, if established, what the program parameters should be. Sec. 3. Emergency This act is an emergency measure that is necessary to preserve the public peace, health or safety and is operative immediately as provided by law.
Be it enacted by the Legislature of the State of Arizona:
Section 1. Willcox groundwater basin; domestic water improvement district; county board of supervisors; election
A. On or before July 2, 2026, the Cochise county board of supervisors may vote to place a question on the 2026 general election ballot for the residents of Cochise county that reside within the Willcox groundwater basin to vote on the question of whether to establish a domestic water improvement district that would operate under title 48, chapter 6, Arizona Revised Statutes.
B. Notwithstanding any other statute, the domestic water improvement district prescribed in subsection A of this section:
1. May be established only in the portion of the Willcox groundwater basin that is located within Cochise county.
2. May provide for the delivery of drinking water for domestic uses, including by constructing and operating a standpipe, and may provide for delivery of drinking water by water hauling to residents in the Willcox groundwater basin that are located within the boundaries of the domestic water improvement district.
3. May provide for the construction of active or passive stormwater infrastructure in the Willcox groundwater basin for the purpose of increasing groundwater recharge in the basin.
4. Would have the powers and duties as otherwise provided by law for domestic water improvement districts.
C. The Cochise county board of supervisors shall establish the proposed boundaries of the domestic water improvement district if the board of supervisors votes to place the question on the ballot as prescribed by subsection A of this section and shall make the boundaries of the proposed domestic water improvement district publicly available before the election.
D. All qualified electors who reside within the boundaries of the proposed domestic water improvement district are eligible to vote on the question prescribed by this section. The ballot shall state "Should the domestic water improvement district be formed?" followed by the words "Yes" and "No". If a majority of those qualified electors voting on the question votes to approve the formation of the domestic water improvement district, the domestic water improvement district is established. The Cochise county board of supervisors is deemed to be the board of directors of the domestic water improvement district.
E. Notwithstanding any other statute, the formation election prescribed by this section is sufficient to establish the domestic water improvement district and a petition and related procedures to establish the domestic water improvement district are not required.
Sec. 2. Cochise county; water improvements program; vote
On or before July 2, 2026, the Cochise county board of supervisors shall place on an open meeting agenda and may vote on the issue of whether to establish a water improvements program as provided in section 11-254.09, Arizona Revised Statutes, and, if established, what the program parameters should be.
Sec. 3. Emergency
This act is an emergency measure that is necessary to preserve the public peace, health or safety and is operative immediately as provided by law.