After months of uncertainty, Rio Verde Foothills residents will see water on Monday

At long last, Rio Verde Foothills residents will see water next week.

With the unincorporated community's short-term water solution firmly in place, its standpipe district will work with Scottsdale to get water haulers' access codes for the standpipe active over the weekend. Standpipe district members can begin filling their tanks on Monday morning, officials said.

"It's still a little bit hard to believe that we will have water flowing after it's taken this long and there's been lots of obstacles," said Meredith DeAngelis, chairperson of the standpipe district. "I am just ecstatic for the community and the residents, and I am very thankful to our partners, from Scottsdale to Epcor to every politician along the way."

The news comes after months of uncertainty for the community, located just east of Scottsdale in unincorporated Maricopa County. It was left without a reliable source of water after Scottsdale cut off its supply in January. City officials cited concerns about ongoing drought conditions on the Colorado River.

That left residents reliant on unstable, expensive sources of water. Some began collecting rainwater to use for watering plants and flushing toilets. Others showered and did laundry at friends' and family members' homes within city limits. A few gave away horses and other animals that consume large quantities of water, particularly in Arizona's hot summer months.

The community's standpipe district, established in June by state lawmakers, came to agreements with the city and private water utility Epcor last month that will give the community some relief. However, the arrangement is temporary, so by the end of 2025, residents must find a long-term water supply solution.

Currently, service to the community through a long-term arrangement with Epcor is the main option on the table. Epcor is regulated by the Arizona Corporation Commission so that entity first must approve its application to serve the community permanently. It's unclear exactly how long the process might take, according to commission staff.

Even if Epcor's application is approved, company officials said it could take the utility an additional 24 to 36 months to get a long-term supply of water to Rio Verde Foothills. That puts it on a tight timeline to have a permanent supply in place before the standpipe district's temporary agreements end.

Sasha Hupka covers Maricopa County, Pinal County and regional issues for The Arizona Republic. Do you have a tip about a hauled water community? Reach her at sasha.hupka@arizonarepublic.com. Follow her on X, formerly Twitter: @SashaHupka. Follow her on Instagram or Threads: @sashahupkasnaps.

This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Rio Verde Foothills residents to see temporary water on Monday