EPCOR delivers water solution for Rio Verde Foothills, facility opens January 1, 2026

EPCOR USA Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of EPCOR Utilities Inc. (EPCOR), has delivered on its promise to the Rio Verde Foothills community – construction of a permanent water solution is complete, and a new EPCOR-owned water filling station will open January 1, 2026 at 7 am local time. 

“Promise made, promise kept,” said Shawn Bradford, Senior Vice President of Regulated US Water for EPCOR. “We were asked to step in and solve the water challenge facing Rio Verde Foothills. We assured the community we would deliver a permanent water solution, and we did.”

Bradford added that delivering the facility was the result of collaboration among multiple partners, including the Maricopa County Board of Supervisors, Arizona Legislature, Arizona Corporation Commission and City of Scottsdale. 

“Together, we turned a challenge into a lasting solution that gives Rio Verde Foothills residents peace of mind for years to come.”

Located just southeast of the unincorporated community, EPCOR completed the water filling station, its one-mile pipeline and related infrastructure under an accelerated timeline, underscoring its commitment to innovate and deliver swift, effective water solutions. EPCOR will continue to provide the water through its existing water portfolio, as it has been doing since October 2023.

Background information

Rio Verde Foothills is an unincorporated community approximately 32 miles northeast of the City of Scottsdale. Rio Verde Foothills historically relied on water from the City of Scottsdale. When the Federal Bureau of Reclamation implemented the first-ever cuts to Colorado River water allocations in 2023, the city entered the first stage of its drought management plan, and a new water solution was needed for the Rio Verde Foothills community. 

The newly constructed filling station replaces a temporary arrangement established in 2023, when the Arizona state Legislature created the Rio Verde Foothills Standpipe District to facilitate the transfer of EPCOR’s water through Scottsdale’s infrastructure. The temporary arrangement ends December 31, 2025, at midnight when the Rio Verde Foothills Standpipe District sunsets. 

The Rio Verde Foothills community’s water crisis – a localized, not statewide, challenge – drew international headlines. While not the community’s water provider at the time, EPCOR was asked to step in and provide a solution. EPCOR’s work over the past two years demonstrates that with collaboration and commitment, complex water challenges can be solved effectively and responsibly.

Hours of operation and customer information

The standpipe will be open daily from 7 am to 6 pm local time, beginning January 1, 2026. 

Accessing water from the standpipe requires a customer account and access code (PIN number). Account holders must live within the designated Rio Verde Foothills Standpipe service area. Contact 1-800-383-0834 or mywater@epcor.com for more information.

For further information, please contact:

Public Affairs Director
EPCOR USA & North American Commercial Services
Lori Denaro
Office: 602-799-0672
Mobile: 480-773-2839
Email: ldenaro@epcor.com