A vast majority of Arizona voters support securing long-term water supplies and enacting stronger groundwater protections, but have little faith in Arizona’s current water policies’ ability to sew long term sustainability, according to the latest survey from the Center for the Future of Arizona. 

Voters’ recognition of water as a key issue facing the state is not new, but has crept closer to the forefront of voters’ consciousness given prolonged drought conditions, lack of oversight of groundwater supply and general anxiety over the state’s water future.

“The interest in water, the concern around water and the desire to make sure we have sustainable practices around water and protect future water resources isn’t a new issue,” Sybil Frances, president and CEO of the Center for the Future of Arizona said. “Certainly, going into this election, there’s great understanding and concern among the public that this is an important issue, but going back quite a ways in our public opinion survey research, we found that Arizona voters understand the centrality of water.” 

The Arizona Voters Agenda, a survey aimed at identifying issues with broad swaths of voter support transcending party lines and demographics, found 93% of voters agreed “groundwater is essential for communities, farming, industry, and Arizona’s way of life,” and agreed there was a need to do more to protect groundwater and secure long-term water supplies.

“There’s amazing agreement among all stripes that protecting our water is important, including and especially groundwater,” Frances said. “People have gotten the message that there’s threats to our groundwater in Arizona.”

Frances said voter agreement on water as a priority goes back within Center for the Future of Arizona’s gauging of public policy. In a 2020 survey with Gallup, voters identified protecting rural water supplies as a key action item for the state to achieve in the next 10 years. 

In the 2022 Arizona Voters’ Agenda, 95% of voters supported securing Arizona’s water future and addressing the long-term drought and 73% feared the state did not have enough water supply for the next 100 years.

“Water is not the kind of thing that goes up and down politically,” Frances said, noting the 2020 and 2022 survey results still yield relevance today. “People have understood for a long time how important water is.”

Heading into the 2024 election, only 33% believed Arizona’s current water policies are sufficient to ensure long-term water sustainability. 

Paul Bentz, senior vice president of research and strategy at HighGround Public Affairs, conducted the poll in conjunction with the Center for the Future of Arizona. 

He noted a string of headlines continue to float water to the top of voters’ minds – Saudi Arabia’s unfettered pumping of groundwater for exported alfalfa, Rio Verde’s monthslong fight for a water supply and rural Arizona wells running dry

“The concerns haven’t really waned,” Bentz said. “In the past five years, it’s crept into the top 5 issues facing the state. I don’t think it’s going away.” 

Despite its stature as a top concern for voters, Bentz noted, water is often absent from political dialogue. 

Bentz said he believes “you can win talking about water,” but notes there might be barriers for candidates. 

“Part of the challenge is that candidates try to appeal to their primary electorate,” Bentz said. “Hot button issues take center stage for the candidate, while the general electorate are not necessarily feeling like the issues they care most about are being addressed.”

Bentz noted, too, candidates may feel they lack the expertise, but again stressed water to be a mainstay among voters.

“It’s complicated, that’s why candidates stay away from it. It doesn’t lend itself to a bumper sticker or a catchphrase,” Bentz said. “But there is a strong appetite for candidates who understand water issues and want to take action on them.”