The February issue of AWR reported that Tom Jensen had left the Grand Canyon Trust for a position in D.C. A reader tells us that Jensen will serve on the President's reconstituted Council on Environmental Quality.

The elusive Phoenix office of American Rivers has changed its phone numbers to the following: voice 602-234-9985; fax 602-234-3946.

James Phipps, Public Information Officer for the Flood Control District of Maricopa County, writes: "We enjoy your publication. Keep up the good work." (He then politely pointed out a typo.)

And Lori Woods, President, Recon Consultants, writes: "I wanted to let you know how often I've read and appreciated AWR. It is always so well-written and put together."

Bard Latest CAP Victim

Tucson continues to wrestle with the thorny issue of how best to use its CAP allocation, with consultants narrowing the options from nine to four (see story, p. 5). Meanwhile, a Water Consumer Protection Act initiative being circulated would really narrow the options. It would keep Tucson Water on groundwater for five more years and pretty much rule out future use of the City's $80 million treatment plant, which disinfects with ozone and chloramine.

Cornelius Steelink, Professor Emeritus, University of Arizona chemistry department, and member, Tucson Water Quality Expert Panel, sums up the dilemma facing Tucsonans.

CHLORAMINE
A Tucson Rate-Payer's Soliloquy
(with apologies to W. Shakespeare)

To chloraminate or not to chloraminate
That is the question.
Whether 'tis nobler in mind
to endure the taste and odor of
outrageous disinfectant,
Or to take aim against a swarm
of CAP bureaucrats,
And by initiative, end chloramine.

To gasp, to gag no more;
And by this vote to say we end
all stomachache
And the thousand chemical shocks
that flesh is heir to.
'Tis a cleansed water devoutly
to be wished.

To sip, to drink. Perchance to gulp.
Aye, there's the rub, for in that
gulp of CAP
What other salts may lurk, when we
have shuffled
Off this chloramine.

And Texas Gets the
Rio Grande...

Before President Clinton used his executive authority to loan Mexico $24 billion, Congress was debating a $40 billion loan guarantee. Colorado Congressman Scott McInnis had drafted an amendment to the bail-out legislation requiring Mexico to forfeit 1.5 million acre-feet of water rights in the Colorado and other rivers if it defaulted on repayment. Instead, Mexico pledged as collateral revenues from OPEC, the national oil monopoly.

Seems to us we'd be better off with water rather than oil. For one thing, we could seize the collateral without having to invade. For another, oil is over-rated. You can't drink it, grow crops with it, or even jetski on it.

Golfer Finds Water Sub-par

LPGA Pro Caroline Keggi ran afoul of a water hazard close to home, and she wants the developer of Carefree Ranch assessed penalty strokes. Keggi has filed suit against the developer alleging that negligent design and construction of a water system led to her ingesting bacteria-contaminated water in early 1993, resulting in lingering illness, missed golf tournaments, and a lowered LPGA ranking.

The developer claims that the City of Scottsdale had taken over operation of the water system prior to the contamination incident. Some 150 residents of the system were alerted to contamination in March 1993.

That Number No Longer is in Service

As of March 19, the phone and fax numbers at the Water Center (and everywhere else in Arizona outside of Maricopa County) will change. The 602- area code will be replaced by 520-. The new prefix is optional until July 23, after which time the old prefix no longer will work.

Coming in Future Issues

Assuming Congress and the Arizona Legislature keep to their self-imposed 100-day deadlines, our next issue will review water-related bills passed and water-related bills enacted.

As always, your letters, faxes and e-mail on previous issues and new story ideas are welcome.