A plan to revive a community pond in Oro Valley is drawing backlash from a city-contracted conservationist group for the use of reclaimed water, which they say contains harmful contaminants.
Oro Valley’s Vistoso Pond, located within the Vistoso Trails Nature Preserve, has been without water since the Rancho Vistoso Golf Course closed in 2018.
After eight years, construction has begun in the area to restore the pond, with the aim of reviving desert habitat in the area.
Oro Valley’s original plan in 2024 was to build a desert garden in the former 2.5-acre pond area. Those plans were eventually overturned by the town council in 2025.
“We did have a lot of community feedback,” said Rosalyn Epting, Oro Valley’s parks and recreations director. “Everyone remembered the pond feature and took pictures around it and what it looked like. Council gave us a change of direction, and we went back to design and they designed the pond for us.”
The new design was accepted by the Oro Valley Town Council in September 2025 by a 4-2 vote.
According to the plans, the 8-feet-deep pond will be filled using reclaimed wastewater from Tucson. The projected cost is over $2 million.
In March 2026, Archaeology Southwest, a local non-profit administering the conservation easement of the Vistoso Trails Nature Preserve, sent a 60-day notice to the town council, followed by an open letter expressing concern over the use of reclaimed wastewater, which contains high levels of per-and polyfluoroalkyl (PFAS) chemicals, or ‘forever chemicals’.
“They don't break down in natural ecosystems and instead they accumulate,” said John Welch, the organization’s vice president of preservation and collaboration. “Interestingly, right after the town reversed its decision and decided to recreate this pond inside of the nature preserve, the EPA designated PFAS chemicals as hazardous substances.”
PFAS chemicals have drawn concern for environmental and public health reasons, and have been linked to cancer, developmental issues and hormone disruption. They can also disrupt the pH balance of soil and decrease respiration, which can negatively impact soil health and affect plants and crops.
Archaeology Southwest said they took soil samples from the bottom of Vistoso Pond, which had previously been filled using reclaimed water, prior to construction to have them tested at the Arizona Laboratory for Emerging Contaminants. The results came back with PFAS levels far above safe contact standards.
Welch said despite Archeology Southwest’s contract with Oro Valley, the town continued to proceed with its plans to use reclaimed water for the pond, which he called “not consistent with common sense or with good government practice for maintaining the health of its citizens, the visitors to the place or the bigger environment.”
“The contract that Archaeology Southwest has with the town of Oro Valley specifically prohibits the use or storage or importation of hazardous substances,” Welch said. “We said if you want to have a pond, you can have a pond, you just can't use reclaimed wastewater. And the city said, ‘Well, we're going to do it anyway.’ We formally notified them that this plan was in violation of the conservation easement.”
Oro Valley Public Works declined to comment, saying they would follow up ‘when more information is available’.
In a statement, Oro Valley spokesperson Phillip Cantrell stated that the project’s contractor obtained the necessary permits prior to the beginning of the construction.
“The Town directed its design consultant to confirm the pond’s permit status and evaluate whether the project meets applicable environmental quality standards. Based on the review to date, EPA and ADEQ do not currently require permits related to PFAS soil remediation for this work. The Town will continue coordinating with the appropriate agencies, including ADEQ and Pima County, as needed and will keep residents informed as the project continues.”
Epting confirmed that the town is moving forward with reclaimed water for the project. Construction started on Monday, Aug. 10.
Apart from restoring the old pond, further development plans in the area include five new parking spaces and a memorial area.
Oro Valley is aiming for substantial completion for the project by November 2026.
