Official Summary Text
HB2056 - 572R - Senate Fact Sheet
Assigned to
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COMMITTEE
ARIZONA STATE SENATE
Fifty-Seventh
Legislature, Second Regular Session
FACT SHEET FOR
H.B. 2056
appropriation;
brackish groundwater; feasibility study
Purpose
Appropriates
$100,000 from the state General Fund (state GF) in FY 2027 to the Arizona
Department of Water Resources (ADWR) for a required feasibility study of
potential brackish groundwater desalination project sites.
Background
It is generally
understood that
brackish groundwater
is water that has a greater
dissolved-solids content that occurs in freshwater, but not as much as
seawater.
Desalination
is the process of removing salts and other
minerals from water, making it suitable for human consumption, irrigation or
industrial uses. To separate out these contaminants, water is either distilled
through thermal desalination or pumped through a membrane that holds back
impurities but allows water to pass through (
USGS:
Brackish Groundwater Assessment
and
U.S. Department of
Energy
).
In 2010, there
were 649 active desalination plants in the United States with a capacity to
treat 402 million gallons per day. Of the desalination plant capacity in the
United States, 67 percent was for municipal purposes, 18 percent for industry,
9 percent for power and the remaining 6 percent for other uses (
USGS:
How is Brackish Groundwater Being Used?
).
H.B. 2056
appropriates $100,000 from the state GF in FY 2027 to ADWR.
Provisions
1.
Appropriates $100,000 from the state GF in FY 2027 to ADWR for the
feasibility study of potential brackish groundwater desalination project sites.
2.
Requires ADWR to conduct a feasibility study of potential brackish
groundwater desalination project sites in Ranegras Plain, Willcox, the Hualapai
Valley and the Little Colorado Plateau.
3.
Requires
ADWR to consult with the Arizona State Land Department and local officials,
property owners and political subdivisions located in or around each area for
the prescribed study to identify:
a)
the most probable and cost-effective potential sites to construct and
operate a brackish groundwater recovery and treatment facility, including the
most cost-effective potential points of withdrawal and accounting for factors
such as land ownership, legal access, depth to water and hydrology;
b)
the potential size, scope and cost of construction and operation of a
brackish groundwater recovery and treatment facility, including identification
of the most probable and costs-effective water treatment method;
c)
the most probable, cost-effective and environmentally feasible use and
plan for brine disposal, including the method and location of brine disposal;
d)
the potential volume of potable water that a brackish groundwater
recovery and treatment facility in the area could create; and
e)
the
identification of the most probable end user, including the expected cost and
method of transportation to the most probable end user.
4.
Becomes effective on the general effective date.
House Action
NREW����������� 1/27/26����� DP������ 6-4-0-0
APPROP�������� 1/28/26����� DP������ 11-6-0-1
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Prepared by Senate Research
March 6, 2026
SB/SF/hk
Current Bill Text
Read the full stored bill text
HB2056 - 572R - H Ver
House Engrossed
appropriation;
brackish groundwater; feasibility study
State of Arizona
House of Representatives
Fifty-seventh Legislature
Second Regular Session
2026
HOUSE BILL 2056
AN
ACT
Requiring a feasibility study of
potential brackish groundwater desalination project sites; appropriating
monies.
(TEXT OF BILL BEGINS ON NEXT PAGE)
Be it
enacted by the Legislature of the State of Arizona:
Section 1.
Department of
water resources; feasibility study; brackish groundwater desalination project
sites; appropriation
A. The department of water
resources shall conduct a feasibility study of potential brackish groundwater
desalination project sites in Ranegras Plain,
Willcox,
the Hualapai valley and the Little Colorado River plateau.
B. The department of water
resources shall consult with the state land department and local officials,
property owners and political subdivisions located in or around each area
listed in subsection A of this section to identify the following for each area:
1. The most probable and
cost-effective potential sites to construct and operate a brackish groundwater
recovery and treatment facility, including the most cost-effective
potential points of withdrawal and accounting for factors such as land
ownership, legal access, depth to water and hydrology.
2. The potential size,
scope and cost of construction and operation of a brackish groundwater recovery
and treatment facility, including identification of the most probable and cost-effective
water treatment method.
3. The most probable, cost-effective
and environmentally feasible use and plan for brine disposal, including the
method and location of brine disposal.
4. The potential volume of
potable water that a brackish groundwater recovery and treatment facility in
the area could create and the identification of the most probable end user,
including the expected cost and method of transportation to the most probable
end user.
C. The sum of $100,000 is
appropriated from the state general fund in fiscal year 2026-2027 to the
department of water resources for the study required by subsection A of this
section.