An article in the Dec. 24 Chieftain quoted Mark Harding, Pure Cycle president, as saying, "I'm a strong advocate of rotational fallowing and finding a better way to do agricultural-to-municipal transfers. . . . If a rotational fallowing program is good for the valley, it doesn't matter if the customer is in or out of the valley."
Hogwash! Mr. Harding's statement is a contradiction in terms. If rotational fallowing means selling water to customers outside the valley, that definitely would not be good for the valley or the region's economy and well-being.
And that's precisely what Pure Cycle wants to do. The company bought out High Plains A&M holdings on the Fort Lyon Canal in 2006 strictly to market the water to the highest bidder. In fact, Pure Cycle has been brokering water deals in the South Platte River Basin for yet more urban development east of Aurora. We're not fooled by soothing words about diversifying agriculture or finding a balance of water uses. The enemy, this new set of water speculators, is at the gate and must be turned away.
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