Arizona wine industry committed to water conservation

PHOENIX — Agriculture is a big part of Arizona’s economy. It also is a drain on the state’s water supply.

But one aspect of the industry, growing grapes for wine, is focused on conserving water as best it can while pumping money into the state.

“We are very efficient with our water management and, in our vineyard, every single vine has its own water emitter. We are able to track and monitor the amount of water that each vine gets and make changes to that irrigation,” Peggy Fiandaca, president of the Arizona Wine Growers Association and owner of Lawrence Dunham Vineyards, told News/Talk 92.3 KTAR’s Bruce St. James Show on Thursday.

Fiandaca said the wine industry benefits both the economy and water supply in Arizona.

“We make wine out of them so we get the jobs, the economic impact from the industry as well as the fact that it’s a low-water use crop.”