Ahead of Today’s Scottsdale Candidate Forum, Arizona Republic Reporting Finds Barry Graham’s Water and Development Claims Outrun the Evidence
SCOTTSDALE - As Scottsdale City Council candidates take part in The Arizona Republic’s candidate forum this afternoon, voters should know that recent Arizona Republic reporting on October 3 and October 10 found that key claims Barry Graham has made about apartments, water, and campaign spending are not supported by the evidence.
The forum begins at 3:30 p.m. at the Scottsdale City Hall Kiva, 3939 N. Drinkwater Blvd. The public is invited to attend and participate. The Republic’s First Amendment Reporter Taylor Seely will moderate the hour-long event.
The Republic’s reporting found:
“Giving away your water”: At the September 29 Scottsdale Area Chamber of Commerce forum, Graham said the city should stop approving apartment complexes because they give away residents’ water and undermine water security. That stands in contrast to a September 22 Scottsdale Water presentation to the council, which showed single-family homes used 61% of the city’s water in 2025, compared with 20% for multifamily housing, roughly three times as much.
Independent data agrees: A study of cities including Denver, Phoenix, and San Diego found single-family homes used about twice as much water as multifamily housing.
Water use per home: A typical Scottsdale condominium uses 185 gallons a day, compared with 248 for a single-family home, roughly 25% less. Graham has called this idea a “myth” and “propaganda.”
The “seven times” claim: Graham’s comparison relied on 1,000 apartments versus 100 homes on identical 20-acre parcels. The Republic reviewed 48 actual Scottsdale developments and found only one approaching that density.
Axon spending: Graham has alleged that Axon is spending “millions” to install political allies. The Republic documented $335,000 in spending by a PAC with close ties to the company during the July primary, plus $5,000 contributions from Axon officials to three council candidates, but did not substantiate the broader allegation.
Roads: Graham says the city’s roads are “finally catching up.” City data show Scottsdale’s pavement condition rating fell from 80 in 2019 to 63 in 2025, a 10-year low, even as annual pavement spending rose above $17 million in each of the last two years.
Purified water: The Republic has reported that Graham and fellow candidate Michelle Ugenti-Rita have made unfounded claims that purified water is contaminated.
“Scottsdale voters deserve a conversation grounded in facts not extremist fiction,” said Zubia campaign spokesperson Matt Grodsky. “Graham lies with authority so his claims sound convincing; anyone watching the debate should bring a large grain of salt for Graham's answers.”
The Republic’s full reporting, by Shawn Raymundo, is available at azcentral.com.
