Durango WCPlan 1998

• Project Type: Water Conservation Plan
• Applicant: City of Durango
• Project Name: City of Durango Water Conservation Plan
• Title: City of Durango Water Conservation Plan- 1998
• Date: 1/1/1998
• County: La Plata
• Water Conservation - Doc Type: Complete Plan

CITY OF DURANGO
WATER CONSERVATION PLAN -1998

I. Introduction

In 1991, the Colorado House of Representatives passed HB 91-1154 which is known as the Water
Conservation Act. This bill authorized the establishment of the State Office of Water Conservation within
the Colorado Water Conservation Board. Section 37-60-126 of HB 91-1154 directly addresses water
conservation plans. This legislation requires any municipality which has a total demand of 2,000 acre-feet
or greater per year to complete and adopt a water conservation plan in order to be eligible for financial
assistance in the construction of water or wastewater facilities from either the Colorado Water
Conservation Board (CWCB) or the Colorado Water Resources and Power Development Authority.

The intent of the water conservation plan developed herein is to satisfY the requirements of HB 91-1154.
This Plan was developed to provide general policies and a guideline for future conservation activities for
the City of Durango water service area. The Conservation Plan has a set of goals that either maintain or
reduce existing water uses as well as encourage efficient use of the water supplied by new source
development. The Plan also describes, in general terms, methods to reach each goal. It establishes the
criteria by which specific conservation measures will be selected as well as a process for measuring
results.

Water conservation is considered to be a vital part of water resources planning. In preparing the Plan, the
Public Works Department has taken into consideration ongoing water conservation developments
occurring nationwide and the increasing statewide recognition of the importance of water conservation
and has applied these factors, where appropriate, to the City of Durango. Studies have shown that
conservation can supplement, but not replace the development of new water supplies. Conservation
measures can only postpone the need to build new storage or treatment facilities that are required with an
increase in population. Therefore, Durango should plan for both the efficient use of current supplies and
the construction of new facilities.

The Water Conservation Plan is an ever-evolving document. As new ideas are developed which meet the
criteria, they will be added. Existing ideas that have been fully implemented or are deemed no longer
viable will be deleted. Major changes to the Plan shall be provided to the public in draft form and
opportunity to comment on such changes shall also be provided before adoption of such changes.

II. Potential Benefits and Problems

Conserving water is usually necessary when the supply of water is limited during periods of drought or
when the capacity of the water delivery or treatment facilities are unable to meet the utilities demands.
Additionally, conserving water can be cost effective for both the municipality and individual customers
served by the municipality. The benefits of implementing a water conservation plan are described below:

. Efficient water use can benefit the City of Durango by reducing operating costs to treat and distribute
water, reducing wastewater treatment costs as less wastewater will be produced, and extending
existing water supplies, thereby reducing capital improvement expenditures and delaying the timing
of new water supply facilities. This could result in reduced water rates and plant investment fees.
. Conserving water can help protect the environment as fewer diversions from the Florida River and
the Animas River would be required, leaving more water in the river for environmental uses.
. Benefits to individual water users would be realized in savings in their water bill as well as energy
savings as a result of using less hot water.

Potential problems which could develop by implementing a Water Conservation Plan are:

. Reduced revenues to the water enterprise fund of the City due to reduced water sales. However,
water conservation measures that are cost effective to the utility will need less revenue to cover lower
operating expenses.
. Delay in construction of needed water supply projects could increase the construction costs due to
intlation, which may affect the future ability to fund needed projects.
. Increasing water use efficiency under normal conditions may make additional savings during a
drought or emergency more difficult to achieve. A distinction between short-term demand reduction

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