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<br />6 <br /> <br />IV. Energy Consumption <br /> <br />Pumping has been referred to previously in this <br /> <br /> <br />report only as a factor in the total cost of delivered water. <br /> <br /> <br />However, since electricity is involved in pumping, <br /> <br /> <br />the consumption of this form of energy and the obvious <br /> <br /> <br />ramification in terms of air pollution is an important <br /> <br /> <br />part of the evaluation of various Foothills alternatives. <br /> <br /> <br />The present Denver water distribution system is extremely <br /> <br /> <br />energy-consumptive because of the relative low elevations <br /> <br /> <br />of two of the three treatment plants -- Kassler and Marston. <br /> <br /> <br />In fact, in 1976 pumping of treated water by the Denver <br /> <br /> <br />Water Department consumed 50,500,000 kilowatt hours of <br /> <br /> <br />electrical energy -- sufficient to provide all of the power <br /> <br />required by a city of 25,000. <br /> <br /> <br />Also, power generation consumed 25,250 tons of coal <br /> <br /> <br />in 1976, which was a factor in metropolitan Denver's air <br /> <br /> <br />pollution, and which put to other uses -- would have <br /> <br /> <br />helped to alleviate the growing energy shortage. <br /> <br /> <br />The "do nothing" proposals, which call for conser- <br /> <br /> <br />vation and restrictions as alternatives to Foothills, would <br /> <br /> <br />perpetuate this annual energy consumption. <br /> <br /> <br />Foothills, as proposed (with the Strontia Springs <br /> <br /> <br />Dam and Reservoir), and the "Upstream Dam Alternative" and <br /> <br /> <br />"Cha1:field Alternative," present widely varying energy <br /> <br /> <br />efficiencies. <br /> <br />00724 <br />