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<br />COLORADO WATER CONSERVATION BOARD <br />Department of Natural Resources <br />Bill Owens, Governor <br />Russell George, DNR Executive Director <br />Rod Kuharich, CWCB Director April 2004 <br /> <br />HB 04-1365: WATER CONSERVATION <br /> <br />Background <br /> <br />The Water Conservation Act of 1991 (HB 1154) established the <br />Office of Water Conservation within the Colorado Water <br />Conservation Board (CWCB) to promote water use efficiency. <br />Provisions of the 1991 Act require "covered entities", who are <br />water providers that annually supply over 2000 acre-feet of water <br />to retail customers, to develop water conservation plans. Covered <br />entities must have an approved water conservation plan prior to <br />receiving any fmancial assistance from the Colorado Water <br />Conservation Board (CWCB) or the Colorado Water Resources <br />and Power Development Authority (CWRPDA). <br /> <br />DB 04-1365 <br /> <br />HB 1365 improves upon the Water Conservation Act of 1991 by <br />enhancing the elements that must be considered by a covered entity <br />when creating a water conservation plan. The new provisions will <br />establish water savings goals and provide a better indication to the <br />overall effectiveness of the entities water conservation plan. The <br />new planning provisions reflect connon practices that are being <br />used in other western states. <br /> <br />HB 1365 creates a grant mechanism from an existing funding <br />source (CWCB severance tax operational account) that will allow <br />water entities to apply for grants to assist them with water <br />conservation and drought planning activities. <br /> <br />Additionally, HB 1365 makes changes to the duties of the Office <br />of Water Conservation to reflect the state's involvement in drought <br />mitigation planning and the need to provide more information <br />relating to drought and water conservation to water users and the <br />public. <br /> <br /> <br />Highlights <br /> <br />-Enhancescurrentwmer <br />conservmion planning <br />activities to improve the <br />effectiveness of water <br />conservation efforts. <br /> <br />- Provides grants to wmer <br />entities to assist them to <br />develop water conservation or <br />drought mitigation plans. <br />