La Paz County Could Gain Groundwater Rights Under Proposed State Bill

A bill moving through the Arizona Legislature could give La Paz County new authority over its own groundwater, according to a legislative summary published by the Arizona Department of Water Resources on March 13, 2026.

HB2028 would authorize the La Paz County Board of Supervisors to withdraw groundwater from land the county owns or leases. The Arizona Department of Water Resources flagged the measure in its weekly legislative summary covering the period ending March 13, noting the bill's direct implications for county-level water access.

The research notes underlying this report were incomplete regarding the full geographic scope of the bill, with the location data cutting off mid-detail. However, the core provision is clear: the Board of Supervisors would gain withdrawal rights tied specifically to county-controlled land, a meaningful shift in how La Paz County could manage water resources beneath its own property.

Water access is a persistent concern across western Arizona, where communities in arid La Paz County depend heavily on groundwater for municipal, agricultural, and residential needs. Legislation granting a county board direct withdrawal authority over its land holdings would represent a notable step toward local control of that supply.

HB2028 remains a proposal at this stage. Whether it advances through the Legislature and reaches the governor's desk will determine whether the Board of Supervisors ultimately gains the authority the bill describes.