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. T