Buckeye City Council celebrates the inclusion of State Route 30 extending into Buckeye as part of the transportation tax headed to voters in 2022. From left: council members Michelle Hess and Tony Youngker, Mayor Eric Orsborn, and council members Clay Goodman and Craig Heustis.|| City of Buckeye
By Alexandra Hardle || The Arizona Republic
The Buckeye City Council approved the spending of $80 million on a lot with groundwater rights for fiscal year 2023 during a special meeting Monday.
After meeting in an executive session for over two hours, the City Council voted to approve the purchase. Essentially, the council’s decision authorizes the city manager to deliver the purchase agreement on behalf of Buckeye and move forward with buying the land.
Buckeye will purchase the land from Harquahala Valley Landowners, LLC.
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In the purchase agreement, Buckeye will gain 592,592 acre-feet of groundwater and is authorized to withdraw a maximum of 5,926 acre-feet per year over a minimum period of 100 years.
The purchase comes after Gov. Katie Hobbs released a report by the Arizona Department of Water Resources discussing the far West Valley’s groundwater issues.
Representatives from the city were not immediately available for comment.
