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 / Modified dec 7, 2018 5:23 p.m.

Shaping Arizona Water Policy in 2019

Vanessa Barchfield interviews incoming State House Speaker Russels Bowers.

Water conservation is already primed to be a key issue in 2019. In a recent op-ed, Gov. Doug Ducey said he wants more funding in next year's budget to protect water levels in Lake Mead. That will be up to lawmakers like Republican State Rep. Russell Bowers, who will take over as House speaker next year. He recently spoke to Vanessa Barchfield about some of the concerns he's heard from stakeholders across the Arizona as policymakers work toward finalizing a Drought Contingency Plan.

"A problem theme is that people see water sources as local. 'This is our water in Cochise County. This is our water in Yuma. This is our water in Mohave, and we don't want you guys to take it,'" Bowers said, adding: "And we don't own water. We own the rights to use water."

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