In the drying West, here is how Aurora is leading water conservation

Aurora Mayor Mike Coffman details how Aurora Water is helping lead the nation in water conservation and planning.

From the Denver Post: In the drying West, here is how Aurora is leading water conservation

People who call Colorado home know the sun is often shining and that chapstick is a necessity due to the dry air. Annual precipitation along the Front Range averages around 15 inches, including both rain and snow. That is roughly half of the U.S. annual average of about 38 inches.

Water has played a critical role in Aurora’s history and will be an even more important determinant of its future. Because Aurora is not located near a major river or natural water body, nearly all of the water residents use begins as mountain snowpack, captured as runoff and transported from watersheds as far as 150 miles away. City leaders in the 1950s recognized that the only way Aurora could control its future was through significant investments in water rights and infrastructure. Today, the community benefits from that foresight and determination.