Tucson Council Will Vote on PFA Cleanup Plan
The city will consider a water remediation proposal involving a new golf course on September 22.
Updated on Oct. 6, 2026 in Military
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Should the city allow private groups to manage water cleanup for exclusive land use rights?
The Tucson City Council is set to vote on September 22, 2026, regarding a memorandum of understanding with the nonprofit Warbird National. The proposal outlines a plan to clean PFAs from groundwater located beneath Davis-Monthan Air Force Base in exchange for building a golf course.
Why it matters
Untreated PFAs pose significant human health risks and currently threaten to contaminate the city's central well field water supply. The proposed partnership seeks to secure private and Air Force funding to mitigate this environmental hazard.
The proposal mandates the cleanup of PFAs, a chemical group linked to human health risks, to protect the city water supply. If approved, the agreement will authorize the use of treated water to irrigate both the proposed Warbird golf course and the existing Fred Enke Golf Course.
The players
Tucson City Council
The legislative body of Tucson responsible for voting on municipal contracts and city land-use agreements.
Warbird National
A nonprofit organization proposing a water cleanup and development project centered on a combat aircraft museum and golf course.
Davis-Monthan Air Force Base
A military installation in Tucson that sits atop the groundwater plume contaminated with PFAs.
The details
Warbird National intends to develop a project that features a combat aircraft museum, a STEM education campus, and a golf course. Treated water from the remediation effort would be diverted to sustain these new facilities and the municipal Fred Enke Golf Course.
Timeline
The City Council will vote on the proposal on September 22, 2026.
Political Context
Opponents or skeptics of the proposal may raise concerns regarding the privatization of public water remediation efforts and the long-term maintenance costs of the proposed golf course infrastructure. There is also potential pushback from those wary of granting land-use rights on or near military-adjacent sites for commercialized non-profit ventures.
The potential approval of this project could directly impact the safety and security of the city's central water supply for residents. Residents should monitor the council's decision, as it could determine how the city addresses long-term water contamination risks near the air base.
The takeaway
This proposal highlights the complex intersection of municipal environmental cleanup and private land development. Residents should stay informed about how such partnerships might influence local water quality and public infrastructure use.
Further reading
Learn more about local oversight of defense-related infrastructure on the Tucson Military page.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Arizona Public Media.
Live Poll
Should the city allow private groups to manage water cleanup for exclusive land use rights?
