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you say the county is growing, also? Did you know that Douglas County has been bestowed with the honor of "Fastest Growing County in the Nation"? . . . The fastest growing county in the nation. Water concerns? You bet. We're concerned about our resources and supply of water in the entire region. And, as the state continues to grow, and other States continue to put demands on our water supply, we will have even more about which to be concerned. Options for water? We have no options. This may surprise you, but when you think about it, it's clear -- either you have water or you don't. It's that s~ple. Water is the most precious natural resource available to humankind. We can't live without it -- our bodies physically need it to function. We don't have a choice -- without it, we're nothing. And yet, we take water for granted. And, we not only take it for granted, but sadly, we also waste it. Did you know that most of the demand in a municipal water system is for the outside uses and not human consumption? We use it for the nice green lawns that surround our houses and our lush green parks. We like to wash our cars, take long showers, use dishwashers, use clothes washers, fill swimming pools, and the list goes on and on. One thing is very clear -- we need to educate more people about water conservation and usage. Our mission, and it is a mission, is to assure the people in our towns, cities, counties, and State that we will provide water resources that possess attributes of permanence, renewability, and reliability; most importantly, we need to make water affordable. Ladies and gentlemen, this is our mission. Now, what are Douglas County, the Town of Parker, and the rest of the communities within the county doing to reach this end? As you may know, Douglas County finds itself in a very difficult position. There are only two sources of water: groundwater and surface water. Douglas County has little surface water of which to speak. We have surface water resources such as Plum Creek and Cherry Creek, but they vary yearly in their flows and may be over- appropriated. So, we rely exclusively on groundwater. I'm sure that you are all aware of the high costs involved when using groundwater as your only supply source. And remember once again, Douglas County is the fastest growing county in the nation. Our demand for water is increasing daily, and we are currently supplying it from a non-renewable source -- the Denver Basin bedrock aquifers. The county currently has planned and zoned enough land to accommodate a population of 500,000 people; however, the County has failed to plan and provide for an adequate supply of water for that population. I have another interesting fact I want to share with you. Did you know that studies taken for the Denver Systemwide Environmental Impact Statement indicate that the future water demand in the Denver metropolitan area is expected to be about 208 gallons per person per day? . . . Two hundred and eight gallons of water per person per day. 23