Professional organizations
 

Regulatory Agencies
Arizona Department of Environmental Quality (ADEQ)
ADEQ's core functions are vital to public health and safety, and by carrying them out, the agency ensures that Arizona's environmental quality is protected and that citizens enjoy an excellent quality of life. The core functions align with the agency mission, strategic plan and performance objectives, and fall under the following broad responsibilities:

• Pollution Control
• Environmental Clean Up
• Compliance Management
• Monitoring and Assessment
• Public Outreach
• Public Policy

Arizona Department of Water Resources (ADWR)
The Arizona Department of Water Resources works to secure long-term dependable water supplies for Arizona's communities. The Department:   
Administers and enforces Arizona's groundwater code, and surface water rights laws (except those related to water quality);
Negotiates with external political entities to protect Arizona's Colorado River water supply;
Oversees the use of surface and groundwater resources under state jurisdiction, and
Represents Arizona in discussions of water rights with the federal government.

Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
EPA provides leadership in the nation's environmental science, research, education and assessment efforts. EPA works closely with other federal agencies, state and local governments, and Indian tribes to develop and enforce regulations under existing environmental laws. EPA is responsible for researching and setting national standards for a variety of environmental programs and delegates to states and tribes responsibility for issuing permits, and monitoring and enforcing compliance. Where national standards are not met, EPA can issue sanctions and take other steps to assist the states and tribes in reaching the desired levels of environmental quality. The Agency also works with industries and all levels of government in a wide variety of voluntary pollution prevention programs and energy conservation efforts.  

Maricopa County Environmental Services Department (MCESD)
The Environmental Services Department is responsible for the health and safety of the community. It is the Department’s goal to prevent and remove environmental risks.

Maricopa County Flood Control District
The mission of the Flood Control District of Maricopa County is to provide regional flood hazard identification, regulation, remediation, and education to Maricopa County residents so that they can reduce their risks of injury, death, and property damage from flooding, while still enjoying the natural and beneficial values served by floodplains.

U.S. Bureau of Reclamation (BOR)
Reclamation is a contemporary water management agency with a Strategic Plan outlining numerous programs, initiatives and activities that will help the Western States, Native American Tribes and others meet new water needs and balance the multitude of competing uses of water in the West. Our mission is to assist in meeting the increasing water demands of the West while protecting the environment and the public's investment in these structures. We place great emphasis on fulfilling our water delivery obligations, water conservation, water recycling and reuse, and developing partnerships with our customers, states, and Indian Tribes, and in finding ways to bring together the variety of interests to address the competing needs for our limited water resources.  

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Professional Organizations
American Backflow Prevention Association (ABPA)
The American Backflow Prevention Association is an organization whose members have a common interest in protecting drinking water from contamination through cross-connections. ABPA is an organization dedicated to education and technical assistance. Through its network of regions and chapters, local needs and interests are supported with the resources of the national organization. ABPA is committed to advancing all aspects of backflow prevention for the continued protection of all water users.

Arizona Backflow Prevention Association (AZABPA)
The Arizona Chapter of the American Backflow Prevention Association is an organization whose members have a common interest in protecting drinking water from contamination through cross connections.  The AZABPA helps it members find solutions to cross connection problems by keeping them informed on new developments, acting as an information clearing house, providing technical assistance, educational opportunities, and public Information materials.

American Public Works Association (APWA)
The American Public Works Association is an international educational and professional association of public agencies, private sector companies, and individuals dedicated to providing high quality public works goods and services.

American Public Works Association - Arizona Chapter (APWA)
Chapters engage in the same educational, networking and public service activities as the national organization, but they do so close to home-where members can easily take advantage of them. Chapters offer members the opportunity to attend educational programs, satellite videoconferences, symposiums, equipment shows, and the chance to network with their colleagues and peers in a professional setting.

American Water Works Association (AWWA)
AWWA is an international nonprofit scientific and educational society dedicated to the improvement of drinking water quality and supply.

American Water Works Association Research Foundation (AWWARF)
The AWWA Research Foundation sponsors research to help water utilities provide:
High-quality water
Efficient and customer-responsive organization
Infrastructure reliability
Environmental leadership
 
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Arizona Municipal Water Users Association (AMWUA)
The Arizona Municipal Water Users Association (AMWUA) is a non-profit organization established in 1969 by the cities of Chandler, Gilbert, Glendale, Goodyear, Mesa, Peoria, Phoenix, Scottsdale, and Tempe for the development of an urban water policy. Funded by the member cities, AMWUA represents and assists them in areas of water resource management that require a coordinated effort by the cities.

American Water Resources Association (AWRA)
AWRA’s role is to foster a program of information exchange between professionals in water-related disciplines.

Arizona Water and Pollution Control Association (AWPCA)
The AWPCA is a nonprofit educational organization founded in 1928 with a membership of 3200 water/wastewater professionals dedicated to preserving and enhancing Arizona's water environment. Although AWPCA is an independent organization, it also serves as the Arizona section of the American Water Works Association (AWWA) and the Arizona member association of the Water Environment Federation (WEF).

Association of Metropolitan Sewerage Agencies (AMSA)
AMSA represents the interests of the country's wastewater treatment agencies, true environmental practitioners that serve the majority of the sewered population in the United States, and collectively treat and reclaim more than 17 billion gallons of wastewater each day. AMSA maintains a key role in the development of environmental legislation, and works closely with federal regulatory agencies in the implementation of environmental programs.

Association of Metropolitan Water Agencies (AMWA)
AMWA's primary objective is to represent the interests of large publicly owned drinking water systems. To this end, the association works with Congress and federal agencies to ensure safe and cost-effective federal drinking water laws and regulations. AMWA members are committed to effective public communication on drinking water quality, and they promote improved public water supply operations through collection and exchange of management, scientific and technical information.

Salt River Project (SRP)
SRP is two entities: the Salt River Project Agricultural Improvement and Power District, a political subdivision of the state of Arizona; and the Salt River Valley Water Users' Association, a private corporation. The District provides electricity to retail customers in the Phoenix area. It operates or participates in seven major power plants and numerous other generating stations, including thermal, nuclear and hydroelectric sources. The Association delivers nearly 1 million acre-feet of water to a service area in central Arizona. An extensive water delivery system is maintained and operated by the Association, including reservoirs, wells, canals and irrigation laterals.

Sub-Regional Operating Group (SROG)
Created in 1979, the Sub-Regional Operating Group (SROG) is the result of an agreement (SROG Agreement) between the cities of Glendale, Mesa, Phoenix, Scottsdale, and Tempe pertaining to liability ownership and operation of the 91st Avenue Wastewater Treatment Plant (WWTP). Multi-city coordination for purposes of encouraging compliance with federal requirements and consistency of implementation is accomplished through monthly multi-city meetings attended by representatives from each Program, as well as through periodic meetings with individual Programs.

Tap Into Quality  
The safety, convenience and affordability of tap water is the message being communicated by “Tap Into Quality,” a public education campaign designed to keep citizens informed about the quality of their tap water. Valley cities, the Arizona Department of Environmental Quality (ADEQ), Maricopa County Environmental Services Department, the Central Arizona Project (CAP) and the Salt River Project (SRP) have teamed with the Arizona Water & Pollution Control Association to educate citizens about their tap water.

University of Arizona Water Resources Research Center
The Arizona Water Resources Research Center (WRRC) was established in 1957 to facilitate university research at all three Arizona universities on water problems of critical importance to the state and region. Located within the College of Agriculture at the University of Arizona, the WRRC administers the Federal 104 grant program authorized by the Water Resources Research Act of 1964. Related missions are to communicate water-related research needs from research users to researchers and to report research findings to potential users of that information. The WRRC also works with public and private organizations and individuals and provides information and services through a publications program, including two newsletters, conferences and symposia, and through outreach.

Water Environment Federation (WEF)
Founded in 1928, WEF is a not-for-profit technical and educational organization. Our members are from varied disciplines and they collaborate with staff to realize the WEF vision of preservation and enhancement of the global water environment. The WEF network includes water quality professionals from 79 Member Associations in 32 countries.

Water Environment Research Foundation (WERF)
For nearly 20 years, WERF has been helping utilities and corporations preserve the water environment and protect human health by providing research in science and technology to enhance the management of our water resources. WERF is a non-profit organization.

Western Coalition of Arid States (WestCAS)
The arid West has a unique ecosystem. Many months have no rain and annual precipitation often is less than 12 inches. Consequently, it is essential to protect both the quantity and quality of water supplies. To this end, in 1992 the area's water and wastewater providers joined together to share their talents and resources, assuming the name, Western Coalition of Arid States or WESTCAS for short. A grassroots organization, WESTCAS is dedicated to encouraging the development of water programs and regulations which assure adequate supplies of high quality water for those living in the arid regions while protecting the environment.

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