By Ken Sain | Arizonan
The cities of Chandler and Avondale are in the process of a friendly business transaction to benefit both communities.
Chandler City Council approved selling 18% of the Storage Capacity at the New River Agua Fria River Underground Storage Project to Avondale for $5.75 million at its May 11 meeting.
As part of the agreement, Avondale will lease back 8% to Chandler through 2026. Chandler plans to keep the remainder of its 4.8% share of the facility permanently.
Chandler and other cities partnered with Salt River Project to build the recharge facility in 2007 in Glendale, not far from State Farm Stadium.
However, the water that is recharged there goes into an aquifer that is not connected to any part of Chandler.