Laserfiche WebLink
<br />EXECUTIVE SUMMARY <br /> <br />. <br /> <br />INTRODUCTION <br /> <br />Before HB 91-1154, the Colorado General Assembly had approved two bills regarding water use <br />efficiency measures. HB90-1106 known as the "Water Metering Acf' and HB 89-1169 addressing <br />water conservation in State Landscaping. <br /> <br />HB 91-1154 is the product of a series of meetings held among members of the water, agricultural <br />and environmental communities. Language in HB 91-1154 reflects a combination of each group's <br />interest in water conservation. <br /> <br />HB 91-1154 authorized the establishment the Office of Water Conservation within the Colorado <br />Water Conservation Board (CWCB). The Office of Water Conservation (OWC) was created in <br />response to the increasing competition and demand for water in the State of Colorado. The <br />purpose of the Act and the policy of the state were to enhance the efficiency with which water is <br />used to meet end uses, with the objective of making water available for all beneficial uses in <br />Colorado. <br /> <br />The West has a strong "conservation ethic", but the needs for, and values placed on, water have <br />changed. The demand for water for urban, environmental and recreational purposes has <br />increased. With population and economic growth increasing the demand for water, many states in <br />the West are implementing policies and projects to manage water resources more efficiently. <br /> <br />. Since the term ''water conservation" is generally understood by the CWCB to include both storage <br />and water use efficiency functions, we have relied extensively in this report upon the latter concept. <br />We address water use efficiency from water diversion to its end use. <br /> <br />Water use efficiency can bring about permanent water use reductions, reduce demands during <br />emergencies, such as droughts, and help manage peak water use demands. Permanently <br />reducing water use or peak demands can avoid the need for constructing or upgrading costly <br />wastewater treatment and drinking water supply plants. <br /> <br />Water use efficiency is not an end-all answer for water demand problems. It is, however, an <br />essential component of water supply, river basin and watershed planning and management. <br />Balancing the environmental and economic costs and benefits of different water conservation <br />options is a critical component to sound decision-making. This process is not always easy. <br />Environmental benefits such as increased instream flows and improved fish and wildlife habitat may <br />be difficult to quantify. <br /> <br />. <br /> <br />A pattem is developing in Colorado where agricultural water rights are being transferred for urban, <br />environmental, and recreational use. The loss of irrigated acreage is increasing each year. Other <br />westem states, like us, have gone to state conservation programs. HB 91-1154 promotes a <br />bottom-up, rather top-down approach to water conservation and places Colorado in a position to <br />adopt a proactive role in water management rather than allowing the federal govemment to assume <br />a regulatory role. <br /> <br />3 <br />