AUDIO: Tempe water plant to reopen as decades long drought continues

by Julia Thompson
  • Slug: Audio-Kyrene Water. By Athena Ankrah.
  • Runtime: :47
  • Downloadable audio here. (Note: Some web browsers may not support media download)

HOST INTRO:

CITY OFFICIALS IN TEMPE ANNOUNCED THURSDAY (9/1) THEY’RE REBOOTING KYRENE (KAI-REEN) WATER RECLAMATION PLANT. CRONKITE NEWS’ ATHENA ANKRAH (AHN-CRUH) REPORTS ON THE LATEST EFFORTS TO CONSERVE WATER.

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ARIZONA IS IN THE MIDST OF A NEARLY 30 YEAR  DROUGHT. CITY OFFICIALS IN TEMPE, ALONG WITH ARIZONA CONGRESSMAN GREG STANTON EXPECT OVER 37 MILLION DOLLARS IN FEDERAL FUNDS TO REOPEN A WATER PLANT THAT HASN’T BEEN IN USE SINCE THE GREAT RECESSION OF 2008.

<GREG STANTON/U.S. REPRESENTATIVE> (:08)

“SO, THE MORE WE CAN SUPPORT CITIES AND COMMUNITIES DOING A BETTER JOB OF RECYCLING WATER, THE BETTER OFF WE’RE GOING TO BE AT THESE ONGOING DROUGHT CONDITIONS.”

STANTON SAYS THE PLAN IS TO OPEN THE FACILITY IN 2025 BUT IT COULD HAPPEN SOONER. THE FUNDS TO DO THIS ARE PART OF THE WATER RESOURCES DEVELOPMENT ACT. THE BILL PASSED THE HOUSE AND SENATE EARLIER THIS YEAR, AND NOW AWAITS A SIGNATURE FROM THE PRESIDENT. TUCSON, PHOENIX AND OTHER ARIZONA CITIES HAVE ALSO ANNOUNCED GOALS TO CUT DOWN ON WATER USAGE.

ATHENA ANKRAH, CRONKITE NEWS.