Officials said developers could still build in the affected areas but would need to find alternative water sources to do so — such as surface or recycled water.

Arizona will not approve new housing construction on the fast-growing edges of metro Phoenix that rely on groundwater thanks to years of overuse and a multi-decade drought worsened by climate change

Arizona will stop approving new development in the Phoenix area that relies solely on groundwater after a new model shows a projected shortfall.

Arizona officials announced Thursday the state will no longer grant certifications for new developments within the Phoenix area, as groundwater rapidly disappears amid years of water overuse and climate change-driven drought.

Arizona officials announced Thursday the state will restrict the development of future housing projects in the Phoenix region due to a diminishing supply of groundwater, signaling a potentially drastic change for an area that has been a hot spot of population growth for years but faces growing impacts from the effects of climate change.

In what could be a glimpse of the future as climate change batters the West, officials ruled there’s not enough groundwater for projects already approved.

Arizona will not approve new housing construction on the fast-growing edges of metro Phoenix that rely on groundwater thanks to years of overuse and a multi-decade drought worsened by climate change