Arizona Sues Saudi Agribusiness Over Groundwater Depletion

Attorney General Kris Mayes accuses Fondomonte Arizona of unsustainable water use, threatening local communities and infrastructure.

Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes filed a lawsuit against Fondomonte Arizona, a subsidiary of Saudi dairy giant Almarai, for allegedly excessive groundwater pumping in La Paz County.
The lawsuit claims that the company's water extraction has significantly depleted the Ranegras Plain Basin aquifer, causing dried wells, ground subsidence, and risks to public health and safety.
Fondomonte Arizona has been using large quantities of water to grow alfalfa for export to Saudi Arabia, exploiting Arizona's lack of groundwater pumping regulations in rural areas.
Mayes criticized the state legislature for failing to address groundwater management issues, stating that legal inaction has exacerbated the crisis.
The lawsuit seeks to halt Fondomonte's water pumping, label the practice a public nuisance, and establish an abatement fund to address the damage caused.