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<br />ARAPAHOE COUNTY WATER AND WASTEWATER AUTHORITY <br /> <br />1.3.1 Designated Critical Water Supply Area <br /> <br />A map of the designated critical water supply areas on the Colorado Front Range was obtained <br />from the State Engineer's website (Appendix B). The map indicates that the eastern portion of <br />Arapahoe County is part of a critical water supply area, but the western portion of the County is <br />not. The ACWW A service area is in the western portion of Arapahoe County and therefore, it is <br />not located in a designated critical water supply area. <br /> <br />1.3.2 Shortages and Supply Emergencies <br /> <br />As discussed previously, ACWW A has adjudicated rights to ground water in the four aquifers of <br />the Denver Basin. The other primary source of water for ACWW A are wells in the Cherry Creel( <br />alluvial aquifer. The ground water in the Cherry Creel( alluvial aquifer is considered to be <br />tributary to Cherry Creel( and the South Platte River. Withdrawals from alluvial wells are subject <br />to priority administration from calls by senior downstream water rights on Cherry Creel( and the <br />South Platte River. The priorities of the ACWW A alluvial wells are generally relatively junior <br />compared to unsatisfied downstream senior surface water rights. As a result, these wells cannot <br />be operated under their own priorities except during wetter than average periods when all <br />downstream senior water demands are met. <br /> <br />The Denver Basin aquifers are a reliable source of water in the short term as they are not affected <br />by drought conditions. However, the water levels in the aquifers, especially the Arapahoe <br />aquifer, are declining as pumping by area municipal water provides increases. This is causing <br />well yields to decline and eventually will require construction of additional wells to maintain <br />existing well capacities. <br /> <br />The Cherry Creel( alluvial aquifer between Parl(er and Cherry Creel( Reservoir is a renewable <br />supply that is replenished by upstream and side-tributary surface flow and underflow. There <br />however have been reports of reduced alluvial well yield during the peal( summer demand <br />period, especially during dry years. As alluvial well use by ACWW A increases with growth, <br />there are concerns regarding the level of alluvial well pumping that can be sustained during dry <br />periods. <br /> <br />1.3.3 Unaccounted For and Lost Water <br /> <br />One measure of efficiency for water distribution systems is lost and unaccounted for water. Lost <br />and unaccounted water is generally attributed to distribution system leal(age, unmetered usage <br />and meter inaccuracies. A value of under 15% is typically considered acceptable for most water <br />systems according to A WW A Manual of Water Supply Practices: Distribution Network Analysis <br />for Water Utilities. Lost and unaccounted water for ACWWA has historically been less than <br />15%. <br /> <br />A Water Audit is conducted once each year. This usually corresponds with the annual financial <br />audit of ACWWA's records. The records of total water pumped for the calendar year is <br />compared to the total amount of water billed. Various unmetered water volumes are also <br /> <br />Richard P. Arber Associates, Inc. <br /> <br />6 <br /> <br />ACWW A05 <br />