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<br />4. Community involvement <br /> <br />Community involvement for this project can be gauged by the <br />current reaction to water problems in the town. The citizens are <br />concerned about rate increases and want the town to reduce or <br />hold the cost of water at the current level. The local government <br />does not want to raise rates, but up to today it has not found <br />other alternatives to meet production costs and regulations. <br />Although not exceedingly high, Silts water/sewer rates bring <br />eternal complaints from its residents, who are predominantly <br />employed in service jobs, and housing and other cost of living <br />expenses are universally high in Garfield County. The sewer rates <br />are rising to cover loans for a waste water treatment plant <br />upgrade. Although conservation will not forestall a rate increase <br />for other reasons, and will not lower water bills, a water rate <br />increase to upgrade the water plant would be much larger and much <br />harder to pay. By stressing conservation over a tax/rate in- <br />crease, the city administration is stressing that the community <br />as a whole can keep its own long term water costs down. For this <br />reason alone it is strongly felt that the town will openly em- <br />brace conservation. Equally important Silt will be contributing <br />to conservation of Colorado River water at the beginning of its <br />course to larger communities. <br />Installation of the water equipment can be done by anyone. <br />If assistance is needed, the Town has agreed to offer services <br />for free. <br /> <br />5. How results will be shared with community <br /> <br />The procedure here would be the same as in tracking the <br />savings. Individual household savings will be registered on <br />water bills. Each home can track there own water savings in this <br />way, with a master list at City Hall. The water plant can easily <br />track water production every day. Each month or quarter results <br />will be published in a bulletin distributed in town as well as in <br />media releases, and will be compared to the previous year usage. <br /> <br />The biggest result to be shared is the impact the community <br />will make on itself. By conserving water, the town can take pride <br />in reducing environmental damage and waste. It is saving water <br />that can be used further down the line, perhaps as far as Cali- <br />fornia. <br /> <br />3 <br />