Original Article via Mike Sunnucks of Phoenix Business Journal
In case you missed the last several centuries, Arizona doesn’t have a lot of water.
But that is not stopping Micah Miranda, economic development director from the city of Chandler, from touting water to companies looking at locations locating here.
He says the region’s water issue can be an advantage when dealing California companies. That’s because California — like Arizona and much of the West — has been dealing with droughts the past several years.
Those droughts — which environmentalists link to climate change — have reduced rain and snowfall and in turn Colorado River water flows. They also are linked to intense wildfires that hit California and other Western states.
Miranda said that’s where arid Arizona and Chandler compare favorably on water — when it is contrasted with California.
“It comes up with California companies,” Miranda said of water and drought issues.
Chandler adopted new water policies in 2015. Those link water supplies with future land-use, including economic development and growth.
Part of those polices have businesses and developers potentially paying extra for water use depending on the economic benefits and jobs they bring to the East Valley city.
The plan faced some questions and criticism from pro-growth business and real estate interests.
But Miranda said Chandler’s water plan is viewed by California and other forward thinking companies as an advantage.
Chandler is home to Intel Corp. (Nasdaq: INTC), Microchip Technology(Nasdaq: MCHP) and other technology companies as well as Chandler Fashion Center — one of Arizona’s busiest shopping malls.
For those worried about climate change and droughts, water supplies are a concern. They point to reduce snow and rain, its impact on the Colorado River and other Western water supplies and continued population growth in states such as Arizona, Colorado, Nevada and California.
