Cottonwood utilities director Tom Whitmer gave the City Council an update on the water system at Verde Santa Fe during its Aug. 8 work session.
Whitmer stated that Verde Santa Fe is not running out of water, although it is seeing an increase in water demand and experiencing a significant daily water loss that is so far unaccounted for.
On June 10, the utilities department was alerted to an increase in water demand from Verde Santa Fe, which began exceeding the pumping capacity of the one well that serves the area.
A level two water demand reduction strategy was put into effect, but the demand continued to increase and the city began hauling water into the area. Following the recent start of the monsoon, the additional water demand has begun declining slowly.
The Verde Santa Fe water system has only one well with a 750,000-gallon storage tank. At the moment, 70,000 gallons of water are being lost every day and the cause is still unknown. Loss of the well would jeopardize the city’s ability to provide water to that area and its approximately 970 residents.
Additional issues include the late start of the monsoon and a summer increase of between 30% and 60% in water demand.
The city is attempting to locate and repair leaks in addition to implementing various degrees of rationing and working on drilling another well. In 2022, it hired an acoustic leak detection company and is currently investigating the use of electrical resistance methods and ground-penetrating radar to detect leaks.
In 2022, the well’s pump and motor had to be replaced, which led to the utilities department making plans for the construction of a second well. The department has since identified a site for the new well, had the site surveyed and is finalizing an access agreement that will allow the city to drill the well, with the goal of having the well operational by the end of the year.
The city is also notifying homeowners who use over 17,000 gallons of water per month of their usage. One household used over 57,000 gallons in a month without realizing that they had a major leak.
Whitmer further suggested that raising water prices is the most effective conservation method.
Verde Santa Fe is located outside of Cottonwood city limits in unincorporated Yavapai County. The city of Cottonwood became Verde Santa Fe’s water utility after it bought water companies in and around the city in the early 2000s and incorporated them into the city’s water system.
