Arizona § 45-2626 - Individual replenishment obligations of persons using underground water or stored water within an eastern protection zone or a western protection zone for industrial use; enforcement action; notice

§ 45-2626. Individual replenishment obligations of persons using underground water or stored water within an eastern protection zone or a western protection zone for industrial use; enforcement action; notice

A. If there is a municipal and industrial replenishment obligation for the eastern protection zone north for any year, as calculated under section 45-2622, subsection B, any person who withdraws underground water or stored water from within that protection zone during the year for an industrial use within an eastern protection zone in an amount that exceeds a volume calculated by multiplying the number of industrial acres associated with the industrial use by three and one-half acre-feet shall have an individual replenishment obligation for that year in the amount of the excess, except that if the industrial use was commenced prior to January 1, 2003, the replenishment obligation shall be limited to the volume of groundwater withdrawn in excess of the amount allowed under the industrial user’s type 1 nonirrigation grandfathered right, type 2 nonirrigation grandfathered right or general industrial use permit issued under section 45-515. For the purposes of this subsection, stored water does not include any water stored at a storage facility located within the eastern protection zone north.

B. If there is a municipal and industrial replenishment obligation for the eastern protection zone south for any year, as calculated under section 45-2622, subsection B, any person who withdraws underground water or stored water from within that protection zone during the year for an industrial use within an eastern protection zone in an amount that exceeds a volume calculated by multiplying the number of industrial acres associated with the industrial use by three and one-half acre-feet shall have an individual replenishment obligation for that year in the amount of the excess, except that if the industrial use was commenced prior to January 1, 2003, the replenishment obligation shall be limited to the volume of groundwater withdrawn in excess of the amount allowed under the industrial user’s type 1 nonirrigation grandfathered right, type 2 nonirrigation grandfathered right or general industrial use permit issued under section 45-515. For the purposes of this subsection, stored water does not include any water stored at a storage facility located within the eastern protection zone south.

C. If there is a municipal and industrial replenishment obligation for the western municipal and industrial protection zone for any year, as calculated under section 45-2622, subsection B, any person who withdraws underground water or stored water from within that protection zone during the year for an industrial use within that protection zone in an amount that exceeds a volume calculated by multiplying the number of industrial acres associated with the industrial use by three and one-half acre-feet shall have an individual replenishment obligation for that year in the amount of the excess, except that if the industrial use was commenced prior to January 1, 2003, the replenishment obligation shall be limited to the volume of groundwater withdrawn in excess of the amount allowed under the industrial user’s type 1 nonirrigation grandfathered right, type 2 nonirrigation grandfathered right or general industrial use permit issued under section 45-515.  For the purposes of this subsection, stored water does not include any water stored at a storage facility located within the western municipal and industrial protection zone.

D. A person who has an individual replenishment obligation under subsection A, B or C of this section shall satisfy the obligation no later than twelve months after the authority sends written notice of the obligation to the person as provided in subsection E of this section. The person shall satisfy the obligation by performing one of the following replenishment activities in an amount equivalent to the replenishment obligation:

1. Pay the authority the actual or estimated cost of replenishing the water under section 45-2623, subsection C as determined by the authority and included in the notice described in subsection E of this section.

2. If approved by the authority, deliver water or long-term storage credits to the authority in the amount of the replenishment obligation.

E. No later than December 31 of each year, the authority shall send written notice to each person who has an individual replenishment obligation for the preceding year.  The notice shall be sent by first-class mail to the person’s mailing address on file with the department.  The notice shall specify the amount of the replenishment obligation, the authority’s actual or estimated cost of replenishing the water under section 45-2623, subsection C, the date by which the person must satisfy the replenishment obligation and the manner in which the person may satisfy the replenishment obligation.

F. If a person with an individual replenishment obligation fails to satisfy the replenishment obligation by the date specified in the written notice received from the authority, the person shall be subject to an enforcement action by the department pursuant to article 6 of this chapter.

G. The director shall include written notice of the requirements of this section in any groundwater withdrawal permit, nonirrigation grandfathered right authorization to drill a nonexempt well under section 45-596 or recovery well permit issued in an eastern protection zone or the western municipal and industrial protection zone after the effective date of this section.