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As water scarcity intensifies across the Colorado River Basin, public attention has increasingly focused on data centers, AI, and the growing demand for resources in the Sun Belt. But are these technologies really driving the region’s water challenges—or is the story more complicated?
In this episode of Ten Across Conversations, host Duke Reiter speaks with water policy expert Sarah Porter about the realities behind water use in the American West. Porter explains why shortages on the Colorado River are rooted as much in decades of over-allocation and management decisions as in climate change, and why common assumptions about population growth, urban development, and industrial water consumption often miss the mark.
The conversation explores the rise of data centers, the public concerns surrounding their water and energy demands, and the challenges communities face in balancing economic development with long-term resilience. Porter also offers a candid assessment of Arizona’s water future, the difficult choices ahead, and why protecting groundwater, improving efficiency, and developing new water supplies will be critical for sustaining growth in an increasingly arid region.
A thoughtful and timely discussion about water, technology, public perception, and the decisions that will shape the future of the Ten Across geography.
Relevant Articles and Resources
The Kyl Center for Water Policy at the Morrison Institute
Report: From Copper Cattle and Cotton to Chips and Cloud Computing: Large Water Uses in Central Arizona. (Kyl Center for Water Policy. February 2026)
Arizona Becomes Bellwether In Debate Over Data Centers’ Growing Demand Of Power And Water. (International Business Times. June 18 2026)
Arizona Data Center Tax Incentive Pause Signed by Governor Hobbs. (Bloomberg Tax. June 15 2026)
Tensions Are Rising Among States That Rely on the Colorado River. (New York Times. June 15, 2026)
Groundwater supplies in the Colorado River basin are falling fast. Is there a solution? (WBUR. June 15, 2026)
What’s more important, Arizona, building houses or water? (Rhett Larson for The Arizona Republic, May 2026)
Relevant Ten Across Conversations Podcasts
Why 2026 Will Decide the Future of Water in the West, with Rhett Larson (June 4, 2026)
The Hard Decisions Ahead for Lower Basin Colorado River States with guest Terry Goddard (December 5, 2025)
Latest Deadpool Projections Inject New Urgency into Colorado River Negotiations with guests Kathryn Sorensen and Sarah Porter (September 19, 2025)
Understanding Groundwater Risks in the Southwest with Jay Famiglietti (June 6, 2025)
Checking in on Tense Colorado River Negotiations with Anne Castle and John Fleck (April 10, 2025)
Episode Credits
Host: Duke Reiter
Audio Production: Louie Duran
Research and support provided by: Kate Carefoot, Rae Ulrich, and Sabine Butler
Guest Speaker
Sarah Porter is the Director of the Kyl Center, bringing extensive expertise in Arizona’s water policy and conservation. With a background in environmental leadership, she advocates for innovative solutions to ensure long-term water sustainability. She has a deep understanding of Arizona and regional water issues, having led Audubon’s Western Rivers project, a multi-state initiative focused on raising awareness of challenges to Colorado River sustainability.
