What Matters to You

I have been listening to community members about their questions and concerns about our water supply, safety and sustainability (availability and affordability over the long term).  Here are the key issues you have raised:

• Water supply.   We have a long term contract with the City of Aurora.  Given climate change and growing development in the state; there are threats to the long term security of our water supply.  We need to be diligent about ensuring we play fairly with our Colorado neighbors, assess projections around climate impact and our natural water supply and ensure we secure long term contractual terms that support our way of life.
• Fire mitigation.  We are in a very high risk area for fire.  Water supply is part of our mitigation strategy.  As a water and sanitation district; we have an obligation to engage the community to protect our homes and work closely with our other community partners to reduce our risk and have a clear plan and resources to protect ourselves as the need arises.
• Water quality.  We live in an age where we cannot take for granted the presence of chemicals, microplastics or other contaminants in our drinking water.  We must take this seriously, understand the composition and threats to the quality of water that comes into our homes.
• Water conservation.  Along with changing climate and a growing state comes a need to be responsible with the non-renewable resource that is our water supply.  It is often the case that a small number of users use an outsize amount of resource.  We need to review and modernize our pricing structures, financial incentive offerings and maintenance operations to ensure we are not wasting water or misallocating costs across a community.
• Maintenance.  The only thing worse about not being able to park your car at your home for six weeks because the utility is maintaining underground pipes is having to do it twice.  The approach, as I understand it, that the District has taken to 'replace' our clay pipes is a temporary fix; and not the most appropriate measure for replacing infrastructure.  
• Affordability.  We need to ensure that developers and communities around us pay their fair share of the District's infrastructure.  When developing communities around us have growing need but that does not equate to growing financial contribution to our District; our share of costs go up.
• Communication.  We need to do better than mailed paper flyers.  There are many low-cost, modern ways to engage with customers, take your input and communicate issues and potential impacts to you.  It is time to bring our community utility into the current era.

I am impressed with the level of knowledge and engagement of our community members around these issues.   I would welcome your vote and look forward to learning more from you about how I can serve.