Apr 20, 2026
Imagine turning on your tap, only to realize that nothing is coming out. According to a recent CBS8 report (1), residents of Kearny, Arizona are bracing for this very scenario.
With water supplies drying up fast, town officials say the community could run out by mid-summer. Residents are trying to adjust their habits to deal with the shortage in their daily lives, such as by cutting down on laundry, limiting showers and even rationing toilet flushes.
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"We only flush once or twice a day," resident Jerry Kaufhold told CBS9, which offers a harsh example of just how dire the situation is.
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A countdown to empty taps
The town depends entirely on the Gila River, with access governed by a 1935 legal agreement known as the Globe Equity Decree. The system divides water among users across the region including towns, mining operations and Native American tribes. But in dry years, smaller municipalities can get squeezed, and that's exactly what is happening now.
The water itself is still in the river and underground, but Kearny no longer has the legal right to access enough of it.
Kearny typically uses about 280 acre-feet of water annually, which amounts to roughly enough for hundreds of households. This year, it's getting just 77. The drop is linked to worsening drought conditions and weak snowpack, which means less water flowing into the river system.
Town leaders have posted projections on the parched reality. Based on current usage, Kearny's water allocation is expected to run out July 15. After that, there's no easy backup.
Officials are scrambling for alternative water sources, including repairing old wells and negotiating with nearby mining companies to temporarily transfer water rights. But any deal would require sign-off from every stakeholder along the river, and it's a complicated and uncertain process.
"It is really tragic," Mayor Curtis Stacy said. "And it's nobody's fault. The reality is there's just no water available for everybody to use."
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Because of the shortage, the town has initiated strict rationing. Water is now limited to drinking and basic sanitation. That means no watering lawns, no washing cars and no backyard pools even in the blazing Arizona heat.
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A small town with a big warning
Kearny's situation is a local emergency, but could it also be a preview of a growing problem across the Southwest?
Snowpack levels, which are a key source of water for rivers in the region, have been consistently below normal in recent years, according to data from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (2). At the same time, the U.S. Drought Monitor (3) continues to classify much of Arizona as being in severe to exceptional drought.
That combination is putting intense pressure on water systems that were designed for a different climate reality.
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The rules that control rivers like the Gila were written decades ago, based on water levels that simply don't exist anymore. Now, as supplies shrink, those outdated agreements can't keep up, and it's leaving smaller communities first in line to feel the impact.
According to the U.S. Geological Survey (4), water-scarcity risks are rising across the region because of climate change, population growth and aging infrastructure. Towns that rely on a single source, like Kearny, are especially at risk.
So what happens if the taps do run dry?
If the taps run dry, the consequences will go beyond limited toilet flushing. According to the CDC Foundation (5), without running water, homes, schools and businesses lose the basics needed to function — whether it's cooking, cleaning, or even just staying open.
For now, Kearny is holding out hope for a strong monsoon season to bring some relief. In the meantime, the clock is ticking and residents are already living the reality of scarcity.
As for other communities in the Southwest who are watching from a distance, the message is hard to ignore: This isn't just a drought story anymore. The system is under strain and Kearny may be one of the first places to show the true consequences.
Article Sources
We rely only on vetted sources and credible third-party reporting. For details, see our ethics and guidelines.
CBS8 (1); University of Arizona Water Resources Research Center (2); U.S. Drought Monitor (3); U.S. Geological Survey (4); CDC Foundation (5)
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Freelance writer with an economic development and consulting background.
