Arizona Department of Water Resources

What Arizona Department of Water Resources does

The Arizona Department of Water Resources (ADWR) is the primary state agency of Arizona responsible for managing the state's water resources, established in 1980 and headquartered in Phoenix at 1110 West Washington Street. ADWR administers water rights, well permitting, groundwater management across Active Management Areas and Irrigation Non-Expansion Areas, the Assured and Adequate Water Supply program, dam safety, floodplain management, and Arizona's share of Colorado River allocations. The agency also coordinates drought response, advising the Governor on statewide conditions.

ADWR operates a platform-plus-portals architecture centered on the Customer Portal and a suite of GIS-based data systems including the Groundwater Site Inventory (GWSI), AZCORS streamflow monitoring, the Well Registry (Wells 55), the Water Atlas, and interactive mapping applications for assured water supply, community water systems, long-term storage credits, and surface water rights. These systems collectively provide decades-scale monitoring and reporting infrastructure across the state. The agency's product portfolio also includes the Colorado River Management Program, Recharge Program, Drought Program, Rural Partnerships, Tribal Engagement, and the Arizona Reconsultation Committee — the convening body coordinating Arizona's position in interstate renegotiation of Colorado River operating guidelines with the Bureau of Reclamation, Central Arizona Project, California, and Nevada.

ADWR is a state government agency funded through annual Arizona state budget appropriations rather than commercial revenue. Limited fees are collected for permits, annual water use reporting, and administrative filings. The agency serves a heterogeneous constituency — individual well owners, municipal water providers, agricultural operations, tribal nations, and dam operators — through direct citizen access via online portals, public meetings, and stakeholder forums rather than traditional commercial sales channels. Strategic activity in 2025–2026 centers on Colorado River reconsultation, new AMA designations (Gila Bend, Ranegras Plain), and interstate water exchange frameworks.

Name

Arizona Department of Water Resources

Legal name

Arizona Department of Water Resources

Website

https://new.azwater.gov

Company type

Private

Founded year

1980

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

The Arizona Department of Water Resources is the state agency managing Arizona's water resources through regulatory authority over water rights, well permitting, groundwater management, dam safety, and Colorado River allocations, serving residents, municipal providers, agriculture, and tribal nations.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Water Resource Management

NAICS

Administration of Air and Water Resource and Solid Waste Management Programs (92411), Water, Sewage and Other Systems (2213)

SIC

Water Supply (4941), Electric, Gas & Sanitary Services (4900)

akta.pro primary industry

Water Resources Administration (Watersheds, Rivers, Groundwater) (BPAIAMAE)

akta.pro secondary industry

Water Supply & Wastewater Utilities Administration (BPAIACAG)

Keywords

• Water resource management
• Groundwater regulation
• Water rights administration
• Hydrology monitoring
• Dam safety oversight

Headquarters

HQ city

Phoenix

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Government Appropriations: State-funded agency receiving annual budget allocations from Arizona state government for water resource management operations
2. Service Fees: Fees collected for annual water use reporting, permits, and administrative services related to water rights and well drilling

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

The Arizona Department of Water Resources (ADWR) is the state agency responsible for managing Arizona's water resources. It administers water rights, regulates groundwater extraction through Active Management Areas, oversees well permitting, coordinates Colorado River allocations, monitors hydrology and land subsidence, ensures dam safety, manages floodplain programs, and provides drought contingency planning for the state.

Product overview

The Arizona Department of Water Resources offers a platform-plus-portals architecture for statewide water resource management. The core infrastructure includes the ADWR Customer Portal providing unified access to permits, forms, and reporting, alongside specialized programs for Active Management Areas, Assured and Adequate Water Supply certification, Colorado River Management, and Hydrology data services. Interactive Maps and Data Applications deliver GIS-based tools for groundwater monitoring, well registry, and water rights tracking. The portfolio integrates programs for dam safety, drought coordination, recharge and water banking, well permitting, community water systems, rural partnerships, tribal engagement, and the Arizona Reconsultation Committee for interstate Colorado River coordination.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• ADWR Customer Portal Online portal providing access to ADWR permits, forms, applications, annual water use reporting, well registry, and various water-related data services for citizens, water providers, and regulated entities.
• Active Management Areas (AMA) Program Designated geographic areas in Arizona where ADWR manages groundwater through conservation requirements, reporting programs, and regulatory oversight to prevent depletion.
• Assured and Adequate Water Supply Program Certification program ensuring new subdivisions have a 100-year adequate water supply through ADWR designation and management for developers and municipalities.
• Colorado River Management Program Program managing Arizona's allocation and use of Colorado River water, including drought contingency planning, shortage preparedness, and interstate coordination with Basin states.
• Hydrology Program Program providing groundwater level data, land subsidence maps, AZCORS streamflow monitoring, and hydrographic survey reports for researchers, water managers, and the public.
• Interactive Maps and Data Applications Suite of GIS-based web applications including Assured/Adequate Water Supply maps, Community Water System maps, Groundwater Site Inventory, Well Registry, and Long-Term Storage Credits mapping.
• Drought Program Coordination program advising the governor on drought conditions and impacts across Arizona, working with stakeholders on mitigation and response actions.
• Recharge Program Underground water storage, savings, and replenishment program including long-term storage credits and water banking for water providers and stakeholders.
• Dam Safety Program Program overseeing the safety and regulation of dams throughout Arizona for dam operators, floodplain managers, and emergency preparedness officials.
• Well Permitting Permitting system for new wells including drilling permits, well log filings, well capping notices, and ownership transfer processing for well owners and drillers.
• Water Atlas Comprehensive water data repository providing access to water use statistics, infrastructure information, and environmental data for researchers and stakeholders.
• Community Water Systems Program Program monitoring and regulating community water systems in Arizona to ensure safe and adequate water supply for community water system operators.
• Rural Partnerships Program Program providing support and resources to rural Arizona communities for water infrastructure and management.
• Tribal Engagement Program Program coordinating water resource planning and management between ADWR and Arizona tribal nations for tribal governments.
• Arizona Reconsultation Committee (ARC)

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and major.

• Bureau of ReclamationcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 3 June 2026Federal agency responsible for managing Colorado River water resources. ADWR collaborates with Bureau of Reclamation on Colorado River management, shortage preparedness, and interstate water agreements including the June 2026 MOU for interstate water exchanges.
• Central Arizona Project (CAP)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerADWR and CAP jointly reconvened the Lower Basin Drought Contingency Plan Steering Committee delegates to form the Arizona Reconsultation Committee (ARC) for developing Arizona's position on Colorado River guideline renegotiations.
• Arizona Water Banking AuthoritymajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSeparate state entity focused on underground water storage and long-term storage credits. ADWR coordinates on recharge programs and water banking initiatives.
• Arizona Water Protection FundmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerState fund supporting water quality protection and habitat restoration projects. ADWR works with the fund on water protection initiatives.
• Colorado River Basin States (California, Nevada)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMulti-state collaboration on Colorado River management, including the June 2026 MOU to explore framework for interstate water exchanges between Arizona, California, and Nevada.
• Arizona Reconsultation Committee (ARC) DelegatescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSteering committee including Lower Basin Drought Contingency Plan delegates reconvened to develop Arizona's unified perspective on renegotiating the 2007 Colorado River Interim Guidelines.
• Modeling and Analysis Work Group (MAWG)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerTechnical work group co-chaired by ADWR and Central Arizona Water Conservation District staff, focused on modeling and analysis for Colorado River management decisions.

Scale indicators1 record

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Utah Division of Water Resources: Utah's state water agency responsible for water planning, conservation programs, and Colorado River coordination. Direct counterpart to ADWR on Upper Basin supply and basin-wide demand management discussions.
• Colorado Division of Water Resources: Colorado's state water agency administering water rights, well permitting, and interstate compact compliance. Comparable regulatory scope to ADWR and a key Upper Basin counterpart in Colorado River system decisions.
• California Department of Water Resources: California's primary state water agency, operating the State Water Project and managing water rights, groundwater sustainability (SGMA), and drought response. Direct structural peer to ADWR across nearly every program line, and a key counterpart in Colorado River basin negotiations.
• New Mexico Office of the State Engineer: New Mexico's state water agency administering water rights, well permitting, and interstate stream issues including the Rio Grande Compact. Comparable regulatory mandate to ADWR and a fellow Colorado River Basin state.
• Texas Water Development Board: Texas state agency responsible for state water planning, water infrastructure financing, and water resource data. Comparable scope to ADWR in statewide planning and data management, though Texas governance and groundwater rules differ materially.
• Idaho Department of Water Resources: Idaho's state water agency administering water rights, well drilling, and water resource planning. Comparable regulatory functions to ADWR and a fellow headwaters state in the broader Colorado River system discussions.
• Nevada Division of Water Resources: Nevada's state water agency, responsible for water rights permitting, well drilling regulation, and water resource planning. Co-negotiator with Arizona and California on Colorado River shortages and Lower Basin Drought Contingency Plan implementation.

Broad incumbents

• Bureau of Reclamation: Federal agency that manages Colorado River reservoirs and delivers water across the West. Operates at a broader scale than ADWR and is the federal counterpart ADWR partners with on shortage preparedness and interstate water agreements.
• U.S. Geological Survey (Arizona Water Science Center): Federal scientific agency producing hydrological data and research used by ADWR and overlapping substantially on groundwater, surface water, and subsidence monitoring. Operates at a national scale and supplies technical inputs to ADWR's hydrology program.

Regional players

• Central Arizona Project: Arizona-specific water delivery entity operating the largest water resource infrastructure in the state. Co-convenor of the Arizona Reconsultation Committee with ADWR and a primary partner on Colorado River management and shortage response.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/azwater
• Facebookfacebook.com/azwatergov
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/azwater

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Arizona Department of Water Resources