InHospitable

Phoenix — America's hottest and fastest-growing big city — is on the frontlines in the fight against drought, extreme heat, and wildfire. We bring you stories of how these global problems affect real Arizonans, and what is being done to solve them. This podcast series is supported by the Arizona Community Foundation and Intel.


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Water Pt. 1: The Drying Lifeline of the Southwest

Jace Miller
Jace Miller, 30, stands at the headquarters of his family-run Triple M Farms. In 2022, his and other farms in Pinal County in Central Arizona, are being forced to drastically reduce their consumption of Colorado River water. (Photo by Anthony Walllace)
Contributor
Anthony J. Wallace

The Colorado River, or the "Lifeline of the Southwest," is an essential source of water for 40 million Americans in the West, including 80% of Arizonans. But thanks to climate change, it is drying up—and the effects are being felt unequally. On this first installment of our three-part series on water use in the desert, we visit a 30-year-old man whose 100-year-old family business is at risk of falling apart. 

Note: Our water episodes are a collaboration with the Ten Across initiative. They focus on the future of the U.S. by looking at the most pressing issues of our time through the lens of the Interstate 10 corridor.
Producers
Anthony J. Wallace