Once in a while, government starts talking about something so obvious, you have to wonder why it wasn’t done before. Things like requiring a long-term water supply for new housing development. Way to go, Arizona…

Bills advancing in the Legislature would authorize counties and municipalities in Arizona’s rural areas to restrict construction of new subdivisions that don’t have assured long-term water supplies.

The Senate Natural Resources on Wednesday voted 4-3 for one bill (SB1575) after changes were made to accommodate property rights supporters. A House committee approved a similar bill (HB2693) on Feb. 5.

Dealing only with rural areas currently not part of the five so-called “active management areas” where developers must demonstrate 100-year water supplies for their projects, both bills would allow local governments to impose new restraints on development because of water supply concerns. Those five AMAs are centered on Phoenix, Tucson, Pinal County, Santa Cruz County and Prescott.

The legislation is part of a package of measures supported by Gov. Janet Napolitano and her Water Resources Department as important for the state to handle its burgeoning population growth.

Current laws controlling water supplies in non-AMA areas are riddled with loopholes, said Water Resources Director Herb Guenther. “Nobody has the authority to require a water supply for development,” he said.

Coconino County Supervisor Elizabeth Archuleta agreed, saying her county lost three court cases on the issue in the 1980s.

“We do not have the authority right now to determine water in land use planning,” Archuleta said.