PRESS RELEASE: Mayors Gallego and Mendenhall Release Climate Mayors’ Western Waters Call to Action to Protect Water Access Across the Colorado River System
As the climate crisis threatens people’s access to water, Climate Mayors’ Call to Action lays out concrete federal and state-level recommendations for reducing water costs, increasing water security, and ensuring Western communities continue to enjoy safe and reliable access to water
Phoenix, AZ (June 20, 2025) - Today, Climate Mayors Chair Mayor Kate Gallego of Phoenix, AZ, and Mayor Erin Mendenhall of Salt Lake City, UT unveiled Climate Mayors’ Western Waters Call to Action, a comprehensive policy paper for how local, state, and federal governments can work together to keep water flowing safely, reliably, and affordably in the West.
Reliable access to water has been a pervasive issue in the western U.S., which is drier and more arid than other regions in the country. Climate change has led to an increase of 29% more drought-related disasters since 2000 and making water scarcer. To ensure people continue to enjoy uninterrupted access to safe and drinkable water at low costs, western cities are adapting to this new climate reality and are taking steps to build water security in the Colorado River system. Climate Mayors established the Western Water Security Regional Cohort as a way for western mayors to share best practices and recommendations for how to improve water security while maximizing water conservation, but an all-of-government approach is crucial to ensuring western cities can keep enjoying uninterrupted access to clean water at low costs.
“Western cities are confronting the reality that climate change is threatening access to water resources, and leading innovative and collaborative efforts to protect our shared supply,” said Phoenix Mayor and Climate Mayors Chair Kate Gallego. “In our mission to make Phoenix the most sustainable desert city in the world, we’ve implemented forward-thinking policies, such as requiring our largest water users to recycle at least a third of the water they use, resulting in a 30-year trend of year-over-year reductions in water use. Climate Mayors’ Western Waters initiative highlights cities’ innovative conservation best practices and invites our state and federal partners to join us in being the best stewards we can be of our limited freshwater resources, especially in the threatened Colorado River basin.”
“Water is precious, and we’re serious about conserving water in Salt Lake City without disrupting people’s lives. It’s a mix of conservation programs and partnerships with state and federal agencies that have allowed us to reduce our overall water consumption by more than 30%, while our water service area population has grown by 19% since the year 2000,” said Salt Lake City Mayor Erin Mendenhall. “Mayors are doing their jobs - we need federal and state governments to help us unlock the full suite of policies and solutions that preserve and improve our water security. Our Call to Action provides a blueprint to do just that.”
The Call to Action was the result of multiple convenings of the Climate Mayors’ Western Water Security Regional Cohort which included mayors from both the Upper and Lower Basin, including Mayor Gallego and Mayor Mendenhall. The policy paper provides recommendations for how federal and state action can implement an all-of-government approach to address the complex and interrelated challenges of water insecurity, while protecting the Colorado River system and ensuring people across the West can continue to safely, affordably, and reliably access water. As cities across the country, and especially those along the Colorado River, get ready for the summer months that bring increased droughts and water scarcity, this Call to Action highlights the leadership of cities and the critical steps that are needed at the State and Federal levels.
“Climate Mayors are tackling the challenge of water scarcity with creativity and innovation,” said Kate Wright, Executive Director of Climate Mayors. “But we need help from our state and federal partners. The federal government needs to double down on solving our water crisis in the west, not walk away from it. Our Call to Action asks our state and federal partners to join us in leading the charge on water security and ensure western communities continue to enjoy safe, reliable, and affordable access to water, no matter where they live.”
Federal Recommendations
Invest additional funding to water and drought mitigation programs and water and wastewater infrastructure
Restore FEMA Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities (BRIC) program
End federal taxation of water conservation rebates, creating the same tax conditions that energy conservation rebates have enjoyed for years and encouraging conservation by reducing recipient costs and utility administrative burden
Create block grant programs available to local governments and states to allow for flexible grant funding to increase water efficiency programs across the West (such as funding to create water leak monitoring programs, residential rebates, and more) – similar to the Energy Efficiency Block Grant Program
The Department of Interior and Bureau of Reclamation should exert their authority to ensure sustainable management of the Colorado River system that strengthens water security for future generations; ongoing negotiations related to post-2026 Colorado River system operations must be based on the concept of permanent measures for all states and sectors
Create a local government advisory commission or other official channel to include local government voices that represent communities in Western Water decisions
Invest unobligated federal drought money to local and tribal governments for flexible water resilience use, such as: water recycling infrastructure, natural drought resiliency infrastructure, stormwater reuse projects, etc.
Use Presidential Emergency Authority to designate drought conditions in the West as a natural disaster to initiate increased funding to vital communities
State Recommendations
Align and integrate local governments into state water and climate planning
Collaborate with and integrate local governments into the Upper and Lower Colorado River basin negotiations, especially in instances in which they are the primary water users
Invest in state drought resiliency fund for water recycling infrastructure programs for local governments and farmers to reduce uptake of water from Colorado River Basin
Regularly coordinate and convene state, local, agricultural, tribal, and private entities to address state water goals and identify cross-sectoral solutions as well as public-private partnerships and investments
Allocate state funding and/or expertise to assist communities with 1) water infrastructure, such as smart meters, aging pipelines, and water reuse facilities; 2) rate studies and rate design; 3) long range resiliency planning such as state water plans, land use plans, and economic development plans; and 4) conservation incentive programs
Develop programs to help communities with revenue stabilization and water affordability as water demand decreases
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About Climate Mayors
Climate Mayors is a bipartisan network of nearly 350 mayors, demonstrating climate leadership through meaningful actions in their communities since 2014. Representing 46 states and nearly 60 million Americans, Climate Mayors reflects U.S. cities’ commitment to climate progress. For more information, visit our website and follow Climate Mayors on X, Bluesky, and LinkedIn.
Media Contact: climatemayors@fgsglobal.com