In 2013, the Town of Sahuarita signed a 2013 Right-of-Way encroachment agreement with Rosemont Copper Company, now owned by Hudbay Minerals, that allows the mine developers to install an underground water pipeline along Santa Rita Road within the town limits.
The pipeline would connect Hudbay’s well field east of Sahuarita with the Copper World mine site on the western flank of the Santa Rita Mountains. The pipeline will transport more than three billions gallons of groundwater a year to Copper World.
Sahuarita and Green Valley residents will face higher water utility bills as Copper World’s enormous demand for water drains the aquifer.
Hudbay is obligated under the agreement to replenish 105% of the groundwater it pumps with Central Arizona Project water. The agreement requires the CAP water to be recharged into the aquifer in the same area from where it is pumped.
There is overwhelming evidence that there is no feasible way for Hudbay to recharge 105% of the groundwater water with CAP water. There simply isn’t enough CAP water available to accomplish this obligation.
The Town should immediately hold a public hearing to give Hudbay an opportunity to prove it can fulfill the terms of the agreement. If Hudbay can’t prove it can recharge 105% of the groundwater it withdraws, then the Sahuarita should cancel the agreement that allows Hudbay to install the water pipeline along the Santa Rita Road.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where would this pipeline be located?
The water pipeline would run from the mine’s wellfield just east of the Sahuarita town limits along Santa Rita Road through Sahuarita and then across the state-owned Santa Rita Experimental Range to the mine’s processing facility, which the company plans to construct on the northwestern slope of the Santa Rita Mountains.
Where must Hudbay recharge the groundwater?
The map below shows the area where Hudbay must recharge the groundwater.
How can I learn more about this issue?
To learn more about the agreement and Hudbay’s impossible pledge, watch the recording of our Town Hall meeting in Sahuarita from Jan. 31, 2026, view the slides from this presentation, and read our October issue of “What’s Hudbay Hiding?”
