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<br />to 28%), the Water Department has begun to consider various approaches to providing the <br />community with information on water conservation and the water resources and envifonment <br />that support the quality of life we enjoy. <br /> <br />It is our goal to substantially increase our expenditures for water conservation educational <br />programs in 1997 and continuing years. We plan to approach consumer education on two <br />large fronts--through community functions and throllgh the public school system. <br /> <br />To reach the community as a whole, the Water Department feels that a water bill stuffer <br />program would effectively target the most essential part of our community effort--our water <br />users. Although we presently mail monthly postcard-type water bills, we are currently <br />budgeting for a folderlstuffer machine and a laser printer that would make full-size billing <br />possible. This would assist us in two ways. First, bill stuffers dealing with water- and <br />energy-use efficiency can become a routine inclusion with our utility bills. Second, account <br />information such as individual average yearly consumption, individual high usage <br />information and total average water usage on all accounts can be provided to each customer, <br />opening the door for customer awareness and conservation goal-setting. <br /> <br />The Water Department also plans to become more involved with information booths at local <br />community events that relate to efficiency and conservation. By becoming a more visible <br />entity with a stated water conservation goal, we hope to instill the same goal within the <br />community. <br /> <br />In addition, we plan to have daily public service announcements relating to water <br />conservation and water-use efficiency become a regularly funded program. At the present <br />time we run five different public service announcements that are rotated throughout the <br />month (about 40 different 3D-second spots per month) and are updating these five <br />announcements with new ones every couple months. We expect this program to become <br />increasing effective as we become more adept at designing and implementing ads that reach <br />more of the community. <br /> <br />The second area of our consumer education relates to the Aspen public school system. The <br />_public_schooLeducation program.wilLbe.divided.into two categories:.- kindergarten-thmugh- <br />4th grade; and, 5th grade through 8th grade. <br /> <br />There are approximately 500 students in grades kindergarten through 4th Idcated in 25 <br />separate classrooms with a teacher for each room. Students remain in one room for their <br />primary subjects. As American Water Works Association has been an excellent source of <br />water conservation material in the past, it is our objective to provide A WW A's "Splash!" <br />classroom' packages to each class, along with a "Use Water Wisely" poster. We will also be <br />offering treatment plant and facility tours to the elementary students as this topic corresponds <br />with their curriculum in Environmental Education classes. <br /> <br />17 <br />