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'No' on Prop 200

No longer is the debate over the water issue as simple as it used to be. Rather than being just about whether or not to use Central Arizona Project water, the issue is now how we should use it.

Supporters of the proposition want to recharge the CAP water before delivering it to homes. Currently, the proposal to do this involves letting the water trickle down to the aquifer. Also, the proposition mandates a five-year timetable for this to happen. However, five years is not nearly long enough for water to travel down to the aquifer. It is more likely that the timescale will be in the thousands of years. Worse, Proposition 200 gives strict penalties if the impossible doesn't happen, and if the aquifer is not recharged in five years.

To complicate matters even further, the area in which we would have to pump the water in order to recharge the main aquifer is currently covered in buildings, parking lots and landfills. Water pumped through this area would almost certainly become contaminated and, under Proposition 200, Tucson Water would be stopped from using modern techniques to treat this, or any other contaminated water in the area.

Under Proposition 200, we would continue using ground water exclusively for our water needs. However, there simply isn't enough water to continue doing this for any length of time. Already, the ground is starting to sink: four inches over the last five years in some areas. If we don't start using alternative water sources, things can only get worse.

We live in the middle of the desert. Up until now, we've been lucky enough to use the relatively pure groundwater, but its time to face facts. If we want to continue to expand and develop, socially and economically, we have to use the CAP water that we've already bought. We have to vote no on Proposition 200.