#2BFayetteville

"All life needs water; let's not take it for granted!" - M. Lane Crider, CEO of Beaver Water District. Lakes, streams, rivers and falls – surface water is one of the elements that make life in Northwest Arkansas so desirable. If you live in Fayetteville, Rogers, Springdale or Bentonville, your tap water comes from Beaver Lake courtesy of the Beaver Water District (unless, of course, you have a well). The Beaver Lake reservoir was created by damming the White River. It has been a backbone for growth and prosperity in this area since it was completed in 1966. The 50-mile long, 31,700-acre lake not only provides endless recreation possibilities, it is the source of clean, safe drinking water for nearly one out of five Arkansans. With the population of Benton and Washington counties projected to double by 2045, protecting our water supply is critical. "Northwest Arkansas is suffering from a crisis of success, including dramatically increased housing costs, talent development and retention, and rapidly decreasing infrastructure capacity," Crider said. "Here at Beaver Water District, we are certainly dealing with the challenges of this crisis of success." More houses, roads, sidewalks and concrete mean less green space and native vegetation to soak up storm runoff, which then sends dirt and contaminants into low- lying areas, creeks and rivers, and erodes stream banks. Eventually, it all ends up back in the lake. Plus, increased population naturally means more demand for public water. Beaver Water District noted that over the past five years, the customer demand for drinking water in the cities of Fayetteville, Water: our future depends on it by Karen Rice 20

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