Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes Concludes Groundwater Usage Agreement with Riverview Dairy

In a victory for the environment and water security, Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes has secured an agreement with Riverview Dairy that includes $11 million to local residents impacted by that organization’s overusage of that precious resource.

According to a press release, the agreement:

“Is the first of its kind in Arizona and across the country. The settlement includes new water conservation and groundwater access practices implemented by Riverview, to fallow or transition to a different use 2,000 acres of irrigated farmland and establish two $5.5 million funds to help ensure continued access to potable water for residents of the Sulphur Springs Valley in Cochise County.”

“In the agreement, the Attorney General and Riverview emphasize that agriculture is a cornerstone of the valley’s economy and heritage, but that groundwater levels continue to decline and residents in the Sulphur Springs Valley continue to face resulting challenges.”

Commenting on the agreement with Riverview Dairy, Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes said:

“The legislature has failed for years to protect the residents of rural Arizona from groundwater depletion, so my office has stepped in to do it for them. Today’s announcement is an immediate and concrete action to address the increasingly dangerous depletion of groundwater in rural parts of our state.”

“This settlement sets a new precedent in Arizona—one where businesses commit to being good neighbors to the communities they operate in and make meaningful efforts to reduce pumping of our most precious resource —groundwater. As a daughter of rural Arizona, I can’t imagine anything more important than paving a new way forward to conserve groundwater and protect a future for the rural communities like Willcox and the Sulphur Springs Valley that define Arizona.”

Please click here to review all the details of the agreement.

Please watch the Attorney General’s announcment below:

There has been widespread praise of the water security arrangement.

Arizona Senate Democratic Leader Priya Sundareshan commented:

“Attorney General Kris Mayes has secured a fantastic outcome with this settlement for the residents of the Sulphur Springs Valley, many of whom have been losing their well water access to due to severe groundwater depletion by large-scale corporate pumpers. AG Mayes has shown what fighting for the people looks like. Her tenacious pursuit of groundwater security for rural Arizonans, despite the limited legal toolbox available due to Republican legislative inaction, sends a clear and powerful message: Arizona residents deserve guaranteed access to water. Arizona’s water is a public resource to be managed for the benefit of Arizona residents. I remain committed to advancing legislation that will protect groundwater for all Arizonans, so that settlements and mitigation efforts to restore water access are not needed to fix the problem after the damage is done.”

Sundareshan’s Senate colleague and ASU Global Futures Scientist Lauren Kuby offered:

“Attorney General Kris Mayes and her team stepped up when rural Arizonans needed relief—not excuses. This settlement delivers long-overdue relief to families whose wells ran dry through no fault of their own. While the Legislature has dragged its feet on groundwater reform, the Attorney General’s Office chose action, accountability, and science-based solutions.”

Phoenix Mayor and Climate Mayors Chairperson Kate Gallego conveyed:

“Responsible groundwater management is a pillar of Arizona’s success, and I applaud Attorney General Mayes for brokering a settlement to the benefit of business, residents, and all Arizonans. As our state faces uncertainty in the Colorado River basin, it is more important than ever that we get this right.”

Central Water Authority President and former Phoenix Mayor and Arizona Attorney General Terry Goddard said:

“Attorney General Mayes has achieved significant protection for the residents of Sulphur Springs Valley. This remarkable agreement will assure their future access to water, a critical resource for every community. It is a creative approach and an example of how to protect other Arizona groundwater basins!”

Members of Arizona’s Democratic Congressional Delegation also weighed in wth the water security agreement.

Representative Yassamin Ansari, an outspoken advocate on environmental and sustainability issues, commented:

“Thank you Attorney General Kris Mayes, for taking decisive action to protect Arizona’s water future. This settlement represents a huge step forward in conserving our water supply and beginning to correct years of Republican neglect to protect rural communities. I’ll continue to work at the federal level to support these efforts.”

Representative Adelita Grijalva wrote:

“In Arizona, water is our most precious resource. For too long, rural communities in Cochise County and across our state have been harmed by large corporations overpumping local groundwater supplies. I applaud Attorney General Mayes for taking decisive action to protect our communities and preserve Arizona’s water for future generations. Now, it’s time for our Republican-controlled State Legislature to follow AG Mayes’ lead and pass comprehensive groundwater management policies statewide.”

Senator Mark Kelly relayed:

“Thank you to Attorney General Kris Mayes for delivering this agreement to protect groundwater access and increase water security in Southern Arizona. This is the kind of collaboration we need to see more of—bringing together stakeholders to conserve water, protect rural communities, and support the long-term viability of Arizona agriculture.”

Senator Ruben Gallego stated:

“Thanks to Attorney General Kris Mayes’ swift action after hearing community members’ concerns about the Douglas and Willcox groundwater basins, Arizona is taking an important step to conserve our state’s precious groundwater resources. Arizona’s groundwater is not unlimited, and it can’t be treated like a blank check. When I was in the House, I raised serious concerns with Riverview about its water management practices and pushed the company to come to the table. This settlement sets an important precedent for Arizona: if you use our state’s water, you have a responsibility to protect it. Conserving our groundwater requires real accountability and collaboration with farmers, local communities like Willcox, and water experts. This outcome proves we can safeguard Arizona’s water future while continuing to support a strong economy.”