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f. CAN METRO DENVER GET THERE THROUGH CONSERVATION ALONE? Professor John Morris' analysis of water conservation, as it relates to the DWD's next 30 years, has proposed demand reduction methods including universal metering, shower flow and toilet flush reduction technology, recycling, and a progressive pricing system. Morris believes that universal metering and a progressive pricing system alone would provide 2/3 of the savings through conservation. Although there is obviously a relationship between price and usage it takes sizable reductions in usage and raises a profound philosophical question: should rates be used to further social purposes or should they be a function of cost only? 88,000 unmetered houses represent 2/3 of the Department's customers within the City and County of Denver. They account for an estimated 1/4 of water delivered by the entire Denver water operation. Studies indicate rather conclusively that metering does reduce water usage and is cost effective. Clearly, metering needs to be undertaken whether by a gradual process through change of home ownership or by a more direct "buy-in" approach paid for by the DWD which would recover the cost by selling the water saved to other users. AUGMENTATION OF SURFACE WATER SUPPLIES While most of the attention of Coloradoans has traditionally been focused on storage and diversion from surface streams, two approaches which could conceivably augment surface supplies have largely been ignored: groundwater and manipulation of snowpack. Both should be subject to far more attention and investigation. In Metro Denver, for example, rather than overbuilding surface supply capacity for an occasional dry year, it may be possible to develop a system of accessing ground water to make up the short fall. Together with such techniques as cloud-seeding, snowpack manipulation may contain a significant key to Colorado's water future. Il METRO DENVER WATER COOPERATION ~: Since approval of the "Poundstone" Amendment to Colorado's Constitution in the 70's, Denver has been cut off from expanding its boundaries. What growth Denver can expect within its boundaries can easily be accommodated within the existing treatment and supply capacity; thus, future expansion can primarily be intended to benefit suburbs. It is not surprising, then, that funding the expansion of the Denver Water system becomes a momentous issue. What if the voters of Denver no longer chose to approve future expansion via the bond route as they have done in the past? The suburbs and Denver are currently working on developing an arrangement by which suburbia can participate in initial capitalization of new projects. - 7 -