By Bea Lueck | Golden Corridor Living
There is a quote often attributed to Mark Twain that goes, “Whiskey is for drinking; water is for fighting.” No truer phrase exists in the Southwest. Dwindling supplies brought on by drought conditions have limited development growth in the region. Farm fields sit idle, subdivisions are on hold and announced attractions (Attesa Motorsports and Dreamport Villages) remain in limbo due to the lack of available water. One critical problem facing municipalities statewide – how to plan water use not only for current needs but future growth as well.
I sat down with Ron Fleming, Chairman, and CEO of Global Water Resources to discuss our precious desert commodity – water, and how the region is preparing for the future.
GC LIVING: Where were you born and raised?
Ron Fleming: I am an Arizona native, born and raised in a little city called Lake Havasu City over on the Colorado River. Most people have heard of it from being a destination for spring break and summer fun on boats. It was a great place to spend my childhood.
I am the youngest of five; two older sisters and two older, twin brothers. My dad was a high school teacher and coach, and ultimately my mom joined the school district and has worked there for nearly three decades. She has been an administrative assistant to the superintendent for much of that time.
GC LIVING: Where did you go to college?
Ron Fleming: Northern Arizona University in Flagstaff; as I had decided to do something a little bit different than the hot desert. And I loved it.
I managed the cold; even though I didn’t own a jacket before I moved to Flagstaff. I got a degree in construction management with an emphasis in heavy civil; the backstory to that is how I got started in the water industry.
