Exec Summary Report_11-15-04

• Basin: Statewide
• Title: SWSI Phase 1 Report - Executive Summary
• Date: 11/15/2004
• Author: CWCB
• SWSI - Doc Type: Final Report

Executive Summary
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Figure ES-19
Estimated Water Demand Savings by 2030
Associated with Current Active Water Conservation Programs
of effort is sustained over the entire period. Additional
conservation savings are factored into the Identified
Projects and Processes for many water providers.
Many of the major M&I providers are already at Level 2
and 3 conservation. This makes meeting all future needs
through conservation even more difficult and unlikely.
Reductions in demand associated with conservation are
also, in part, affected by the ratio of SSI to M&I use. For
example, the potential reduction is lower in the
Yampa/White/Green Basin because a significant portion
of that basin's increased demand will be associated with
SSI needs.
The reduction in water demand from continuation of the
current level of conservation will help Colorado water
providers meet future demands. Additional conservation
beyond Level 1 is part of many providers' Identified
Projects and Processes. However, reliance on water
conservation to meet all additional water demands is not
possible. While citizens will respond by temporarily
~~
reducing water use during drought
conditions, and many are willing to
make technological improvements
in water use efficiency, there are
technical and social limits to long-
term water conservation.
Conservation levels that would
need to be imposed to meet all
future demands would result in a
significant change in the quality of
life for most Coloradans.
Also, as Colorado water providers
and water customers continue to
implement long-term water
conservation, it may be harder to
expect the 20 to 30 percent
demand reductions that were seen
in the recent drought for future
year droughts. This is due to the
"demand hardening" effect. As
water customers become more
efficient in their everyday use, there is less "room" to
conserve - that is, many of the measures that can be
taken to reduce both indoor and outdoor water use have
at that point become commonplace. Significant further
reductions in water use would require more aggressive
mandatory measures over time that could impact
Coloradans' quality of life. Moreover, if the water that is
conserved through these aggressive measures is then
used to support increasing demands associated with
growth, that water is no longer available to address
temporary mandatory demand reductions in response to
future drought conditions.
Finally, many water providers today claim credit for
return flows from treated wastewater effluent and lawn
watering (as prescribed in their water rights). Therefore,
reducing lawn watering or indoor water use may reduce
return flows and may not result in a net increase in
available supply.
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Statew~itle Water Supply Inii'iative
ES-38 S:\REPORT\WORD PROCESSING\REPORT\EXEC SUMMARY 11-10-04.DOC