Arizona's most precious natural resource, water, is now under assault by Nevada business interests.

If successful, these companies would set a terrible precedent and create a long-term, statewide water crisis in Arizona. The development interests of our thirsty Nevada neighbor threaten our state's future.

Nevada interests have made several attempts to pipe pure, clean water from Arizona to poorly planned Nevada developments. A significant application from Nevada-based businesses operating as Wind River Resources awaits a decision by the Arizona Department of Water Resources to do just that.

Wind River Resources is affiliated with Nevada interests who want to drill on a small parcel of land they own near Beaver Dam in Arizona and pump approximately 4.5 billion gallons annually to Virgin Valley Water District in Mesquite, Nev.

Virgin Valley Water District plans to dilute their arsenic-contaminated water with Arizona's water in order to achieve acceptable federal levels and avoid paying for costly water-treatment facilities. Once Virgin Valley's water needs are met, their representatives say they will sell their excess water to southern Nevada and Las Vegas and rake in windfall profits before returning an unspecified amount of combined arsenic- laced and treated sewage water back to the aquifer in Arizona.

In essence, Wind River Resources and Virgin Valley Water District are conspiring to siphon Arizona's water for Nevada and to use Arizona as a dumping ground.

We simply cannot allow this to happen. It will set a dangerous precedent and put at risk other water resources throughout Arizona.

I hope the citizens of Arizona will get involved and say "no" to Nevada's water grab. - David W. Davis, Littlefield