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commercial/industrial uses; agricultural and non-crop irrigation; water-level maintenance; special categories; and air-conditioning uses. Approximately 880,000 people in the metropolitan area rely, at least in part, on surface water as their drinking water source. The Mississippi River serves as the primary water source for the Minneapolis Water Works (MWW) and the St. Paul Regional Water Services (SPRWS), which together serve 16 additional communities with. wholesale or retail water delivery. All of the water appropriated by Minneapolis is drawn from the Mississippi River. However, groundwater sources provide approximately two-thirds of the water consumed in the metropolitan area and serve about 1.6 million people through approximately 100 municipal water systems. Tb.e Prairie du Chien-Jordan aquifer provides most of the groundwater in the metropolitan network. The Franconia-Ironton-Galesville aquifer, the Mt. Simon-Hinckley aquifer, and local glacial drift aquifers provide water where the Prairie du Chien-Jordan aquifer is not present. About 290,000 people in the metropolitan area obtain their water from private wells (Metropolitan Council, 2007a). The metropolitan area is expected to grow by about 33% by 2030 and by about 60% by 2050. The Metropolitan Council's projections for related municipal water-use demands include a 27% increase by 2030 and 52% increase by 2050 (the rate of water use is projected to increase at a slightly lower rate than population growth because of water efficient appliances and general water conservation). Total water demand is projected to increase by only 16% between 2004 and 2030 and by 35% from 2004 to 2050, due to expected improved efficiency as well as reductions in withdrawals associated with once-through cooling, quarry dewatering and agricultural uses during this period (Metropolitan Council, 2007a). The Metropolitan Council (2007a) expects that the largest increases in water use between now and 2030 will take place in areas served by the Minneapolis and St. Paul water-works systems, which use Mississippi water. The Council projects the next tier of increases will take place in several rapidly growing suburbs and rural growth centers. Projections show several older suburbs and most rural areas experiencing nominal increases or even small decreases in water use, due to conservation measures (e.g., low-flow toilets, etc.) and stable lawn-water needs. Similar water use trends are expected to continue in the region through 2050. Changing transportation corridors will likely experience concentrations of population growth. For the Elk River area, this will likely be along the North Star commuter rail corridor and along Interstate 94 and Highway 10. P:\Mpls\23 MN\7l\2371105 Water Supply Alternative Study\FinalDeliverables\Alternatives_Report_final.doc 3