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Background and Need for the Prairie Waters Project <br /> Aurora's water supply depends on renewable surface water supplies in the Colorado, <br /> Arkansas,and South Platte Rivers. Yields from these supplies are highly variable because of <br /> weather cycles and because Aurora's water rights are relatively"junior" water rights during <br /> dry conditions. During the relatively wet conditions of the late 20th century,this system was <br /> capable of meeting Aurora's demands. However,these conditions are not typical of the <br /> long-term water conditions in Colorado or other arid western states.The variability of these <br /> water supplies has been recently demonstrated by the drought conditions experienced since <br /> 2002,with an extreme drought that was estimated to occur once every 300 years.The City's <br /> water storage reservoir levels fell below 26 percent of capacity,to a low storage volume <br /> representing only about six months worth of water supply.These conditions demonstrated <br /> that Aurora's water system is vulnerable,and can not currently provide the level of <br /> reliability that Aurora needs to safely meet current and future demands. <br /> Aurora Water has implemented highly productive and comprehensive water conservation <br /> programs that will allow it to meet its customers' demands in the near term.However,a <br /> long-term water supply strategy is needed to ensure reliability in the long-term.Through a <br /> series of water resource planning efforts,water conservation actions,responsible water right <br /> acquisitions,and water leasing agreements,the City identified a strategy to improve <br /> reliability of its water supply system and continue to provide high-quality water to its more <br /> than 300,000 customers.The City developed a plan to deliver a cost effective,responsible, <br /> and reliable water supply to the City for the foreseeable future.The plan included of the <br /> development of a new water infrastructure project which is the Prairie Waters Project. <br /> The Prairie Waters Project(PWP)will allow Aurora Water to use its full share of existing <br /> water rights as well as take advantage of future resources. In 2003 and 2004,the project's <br /> sponsor,Aurora Water,assembled a team of professionals to develop the PWP to a <br /> preliminary design level to determine its viability and affordability as the City's next water <br /> resource. <br /> Water Demands <br /> The following three unit water demand rates,based on gallons per capita per day (gpcd)of <br /> water usage in Aurora were evaluated during project planning: <br /> 175 gpcd=Average water usage rate during a normal or average year. <br /> 160 gpcd = Reduced average water usage rate reflecting a 10-percent decrease in <br /> water usage due to conservation measures implemented during dry years. <br /> 140 gpcd =Further reduction in average water usage rate reflecting reductions in <br /> water demand that may be achieved through mandatory water use restrictions <br /> beyond normal dry year conservation measures,such as significant limitations on <br /> outside watering. <br /> The three demand rates include other demands in addition to residential usage,such as <br /> industrial and commercial demands;therefore, they are blended demand rates <br /> incorporating all water demands. Population growth projections for Aurora were used with <br /> 2 <br />