Title
Fiscal Year 2020-21 Assessments for the Arizona Municipal Water Users Association
Description
This report provides the Transportation, Infrastructure and Innovation Subcommittee with a summary of the Arizona Municipal Water Users Association (AMWUA) 2020-21 annual assessment and requests the Subcommittee recommend City Council approval of continued participation as a member of AMWUA in Fiscal Year 2020-21, at a total cost of $454,748.
THIS ITEM IS FOR CONSENT ACTION.
Report
Summary
The Arizona Municipal Water Users Association (AMWUA) is a non-profit corporation that was formed in 1969 to advance and protect the interests of its municipal members on policy and regulatory issues affecting water. AMWUA provides a forum through which its member cities and towns cooperate to drive effective development and use of water resources within the State of Arizona. Additionally, AMWUA helps position cities and towns in the forefront of water resource policy development and planning. The ten AMWUA member cities and towns are Avondale, Chandler, Gilbert, Glendale, Goodyear, Mesa, Peoria, Phoenix, Scottsdale, and Tempe. The City of Phoenix has been a member of AMWUA since its inception.
AMWUA advocates for its members at the Arizona Legislature, the Governor's Office, the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation, the Arizona Department of Water Resources, other state agencies, the Central Arizona Project, and the Greater Phoenix Chamber of Commerce. AMWUA works collaboratively with other water stakeholders to devise practical solutions to water problems to ensure sustainable growth for Arizona while protecting its members' interests.
On May 28, 2020, the AMWUA Board of Directors approved its Fiscal Year 2020-21 budget with expenditures totaling $1,446,337. Approximately 15 percent of this approved budget ($227,770) is allocated to wastewater expenditures, and is used to provide third-party administrative services in support of the Multi-City Sub-Regional Operating Group (SROG) partnership agreement. This portion of the budget is currently allocated to the five SROG member cities based on each city's percentage of ownership at the 91st Avenue Wastewater Treatment Plant. The remaining portion of the budget ($1,218,567) is allocated toward water expenditures. Half of this water funding is allocated evenly among all members and the other half is allocated in proportion to city population size. Under the approved budget, Phoenix's total membership assessment for Fiscal Year 2020-21 is $454,748, reflecting a 0.6 percent decrease from Fiscal Year 2019-20. Phoenix's wastewater/SROG dues are $125,636, and water dues are $329,112.
Department
Responsible Department
This item is submitted by Deputy City Manager Karen Peters and the Water Services Department.