Governor Katie Hobbs emphasized water security as foundational to Arizonas future and announced executive steps she says the administration has taken to protect supplies and settle long-running disputes.

Hobbs said she signed historic water settlements with leaders from four tribal nations in November and urged Congress to enact the settlements. She said those settlements end decades of litigation and are necessary to provide tribal communities with reliable water access.

The governor said that the administration has taken steps to protect groundwater and reduce reliance on groundwater for growing communities, naming programmatic work with utilities such as Arizona Water Company and EPCOR to use alternatives to assured water supply designations. She explicitly said she designated the Wilcox groundwater basin an active management area and said she would again act if the legislature failed to pass reforms to protect groundwater.

Hobbs warned that any bills that "attack our assured water supply program" or otherwise undermine water security would meet her veto pen. She also said the state had secured a deal protecting Arizona from forced Colorado River cuts through 2026 but noted more work is required.

The address contained examples of households and communities affected by groundwater declines, including a Cochise County resident, Judy Altsosi, who lacks running water and drives 30 miles for water during summer months, and local farmers whose wells have gone dry.

The governor framed the actions as part of a larger bipartisan effort to continue Arizonas history of water innovation and conservation.