In a new era of water scarcity, cities, the federal government and the private sector will need to make the water system more resilient and flexible.

Those are some of the takeaways to come out of a water summit at the White House Tuesday, which included Arizona water managers.

One example highlighted is a partnership that began in 2014 between Phoenix and Tucson. It allows Phoenix to store unused Colorado River water, which otherwise would be lost, in Tucson aquifers. If a shortage hits, the city could recover that.

Kathryn Sorensen, director of the Phoenix Water Department, said she believes Washington is giving a clear signal that it is becoming more engaged with the West’s water challenges.

“It’s most helpful when the federal government gets involved in funding infrastructure," Sorensen said. 

"Infrastructure tends to be underground behind fortified walls. People don’t think about it every day. But it’s really the foundation of clean, safe water deliveries,” she said.

Along with that, Sorensen said removing some of the legal and political barriers will let Arizona more efficiently manage its water.