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,. SWSI Colorado Basin - Demand Analysis, Project ID, and Performance Measures Submitted by: Kristine Crandall, Roaring Fork Conservancy April 22, 2004 Demand Analysis In reviewing the comments made by Western Resource Advocates and the response from the SWSI, there remain several concerns in my mind about how demands are being estimated: o Passive consen.ration measures should include policies such as zoning and other regulatory conditions, shifts in landscaping, restructuring of water rates, and other conservation mechanisms that are occurring on the ground as we speak regardless of the outcome ofSWSI. By not including these within estimates of future water demands, the gap is being artificially inflated" o There is an L'apples and oranges" comparison emerging from the approach of calculating the gap based on the difference between existing and future M&I demands~ Existing supply should be the benchmark against which to measure the difference between what we can provide for now and what we will need in the future. With the current approach, the gap, once again, is being misrepresented. o The aggregation of municipal and industrial demands together into the County- based per-capital consumption estimates assumes that these two types of demand grow at the same rate) which is very unlikely.. For example, Pitkin County's per capital water consumption estimate of 593 gallons-per-day is misleading. What is the break-out between M & I, and/or between basic municipal use and resort- related use? It would be much more clear and accurate to break out M & I and/or the basic municipal vs" resort components, and project each demand separately for each county. Otherwise, the demands will be overestimated in some areas, and potentially underestimated in others where new industrial uses are projected to come online within the next 30 years. Project ID [J Every project that is identified within SWSI needs to incorporate components to conserve, protect, and restore streams/rivers and their habitats. This will establish a level playing field for environmental and recreational objectives, and help ensure that we adequately address the economic values associated with these objectives.. CI Inter-basin project options must be presented to and ranked within the roundtable that is the basin of origin. Without having dialog and working across basins, it will be impossible to achieve an equitable stakeholder process within SWSI. o The SWSI process provides an excellent opportunity to promote and focus on "Smart" water projects. Criteria that qualify a project as "smart" (and can be used as a test) are provided in the Smart Water report produced by Western Resource Advocates (httD:I/www.. westemresourceadvocates..org/water/smartwater.html).