You are receiving this newsletter because you are a recognized Douglas County community leader and stakeholder.
As County leaders, we must protect our region. Our quality of life is directly connected to our commitment to build a tomorrow that preserves the best of today. This vision includes protecting our natural resources, utilizing our county’s resources in a fiscally-smart manner, and wisely planning for our future. Thank you for standing with us.
Countywide Plan Needed to Help Douglas County Face Water Reality
A comprehensive, county-wide strategy to meet all of Douglas County’s water needs is a rational approach to managing our current and growing water crisis. Thoughtful leaders throughout the West know the problem is real – and growing – while ineffective leaders are hiding their heads in the sand.
Unfortunately, there are still some voices saying that we can trudge along with the status quo – not invest in water, not have a county-wide strategy to address water security – and just rely on the piecemeal pictures from the various providers that serve different parts of the county.
Hope is not a strategy.
The facts, recent history, and even a cursory glance at every morning's headlines, demonstrate that we cannot reject discussions of new ways of thinking and acting. It's the single most important issue facing local government in Colorado in the near term and long run.
And it’s not going to spontaneously improve.
A 2022 local media report in Douglas County pointed out the severity of the concern and why a forward-looking, outside-the-box strategy is needed, noting that an average of 25 new residents move in daily.
“In a county where thousands of homes rely on a limited supply of underground aquifers, water suppliers are constantly looking to shift to more sustainable resources before they run out.” (Emphasis added.)
In fact, the situation is becoming so serious that every water provider serving Douglas County sent a letter in opposition of a major development because of insufficient water.
With area municipalities, such as Aurora, putting significant water restrictions in place and implementing drought surcharges, it is wise to develop an in-depth scope of Douglas County’s water needs, and look at smart ways to meet those growing needs.
Ducking this reality is the public policy equivalent of doing a rain dance.
Recent Headlines
Cost of living and water dominate Western concerns, new poll finds
Affordability and water are the most pressing concerns in the Mountain West, according to the annual Conservation in the West poll released Wednesday.
… Drought, river levels and water supplies rounded out the top five issues among the 14 polled. All counted as top concerns for at least 60% of registered voters.
Why it matters: The elevated worries — an important benchmark for policymakers — show the Western way of life is at risk as inflation and climate change erode dreams of finding new lives in wide-open spaces.
Water conservation remains a huge concern in the West, annual Colorado College poll shows
The State of the Rockies project’s 13th annual poll found that Coloradans and other western states are still on high alert about water shortages – and willing to act
…. According to the results of the poll, released Wednesday, 86% of respondents said the Colorado River was vital to their states’ economies. Ninety-six percent of respondents were concerned about current water shortages in the West, and 50% said the shortages represented a serious crisis.
‘Everything should be on the table’: Sen. John Hickenlooper on solving the Colorado River water crisis
From leaving some farmland fallow, to pressuring cities to conserve more water, Colorado Sen. John Hickenlooper, a Democrat, says everything should be on the table to use Colorado River water more efficiently and help it sustain life in the southwestern U.S. for years to come.
Did you know? According to the annual “Conservation in the West” poll, which surveyed Colorado voters, nine in ten rate the region's inadequate water supplies as a serious problem or crisis.
Upcoming News from DCFF
Every other week, DCFF will report on important news and challenges impacting our community. We hope you will stay engaged and connected with us.
