SUMMARY
For many Arizona voters, the top concern heading into the midterms isn't inflation, immigration or education. It's water. With the state gripped by prolonged drought, candidates are facing growing questions about how to secure its water future. Stephanie Sy reports for our series, Tipping Point.
View the transcript of the story.
NOTE: If you are short on time, watch the video and complete this See, Think, Wonder activity: What did you notice? What did the story make you think? What do you want to learn more about? You can also make a Google doc copy of these general discussion questions.
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WARM-UP QUESTIONS
- What issues does water access beat out in the state of Arizona?
- Where does Phoenix get its water supply?
- How are political candidates suggesting addressing water shortages?
- What do the voters interviewed in this segment want officials to do to improve supply?
- Why is the city of Phoenix working on water purification infrastructure?
ESSENTIAL QUESTIONS
- Both voters and political candidates mention restricting data centers as a step toward greater water access, though the segment notes that data centers only make up a small portion of water use compared to farming. What other priorities do you think officials should be focusing on to address water shortages?
- How much power do you think local and state officials have to solve the problem? What solutions might come from the federal government? What about solutions from local residents?
Media literacy: Why do you think this segment focuses in on one state, even though many states in the West face water shortages?
WHAT STUDENTS CAN DO
Students can learn more about the impact of drought and response to low water levels in the West by watching the segment below. After watching the segment, discuss —
- What do you think politicians in the West can do to address voters' fears of reduced water supply?
- What do you think would be the best way for state officials to address the problem?
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