Should Arizona be using its limited water on growing weed?

Valley 101

Something Arizonans hear a lot is that we're running out of water. While the state has enough water to not induce complete panic yet, conservation methods are being put into place and Arizona's long-term water supply is being considered more often by policymakers.

The state's water supply comes from three sources: surface water, reclaimed water and groundwater.

These sources are then broken down into three sectors: municipal, industrial and agricultural. Municipal goes toward homes, business buildings and is mainly drinking water. Industrial helps supply things like dairy, mining and golf courses. And agriculture, using about 72% of the water allocation, is used for farming.

But if water is such a precious resource in Arizona, is it really a smart idea to use it to grow marijuana?

This week on Valley 101, a podcast by The Arizona Republic and azcentral.com, we talk with Sarah Porter, director of the Kyl Center for Water Policy at Arizona State University, to give us a sense of where our water is being used. Then, Jake Ritter of Aeriz, a cannabis brand, shares how their grow is using as little water as possible.

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