A growing city is a thirsty city.

That’s why Lawrence officials recently secured the right to nearly triple the city’s take of water from the Kansas River, from 3.08 billion gallons to 8.15 billion gallons a year.

“We’re just trying to plan ahead,” said Chris Stewart, the city’s assistant director of utilities for water. “The approval of this application puts us in pretty good shape, water-rightwise.”

In addition to the 3 billion from the Kaw, the city has state-granted rights to 4.86 billion gallons a year from Clinton Lake. For now, that’s more than enough in 2001, the city’s 28,000 water customers consumed 4.46 billion gallons, about 56 percent of capacity.

Stewart said the request for additional water rights was based on an expectation the city would grow at an annual rate of 3 percent in the next 20 years.

That growth rate doesn’t include residents in Baldwin or five rural water districts in Douglas County. Lawrence treats water for those customers at the Clinton Lake Water Treatment Plant, but each municipality and district has its own contract for water rights at the lake.

Still, Stewart said the city asked for enough additional water rights so it could supply those customers from the Kansas River for 60 days if needed.

“That’s just in case we have mechanical difficulties at (the Clinton) plant,” he said.

Lawrence now has 20 years to show the Kansas Division of Water Resources it actually needs the additional water. If so, the city will retain permanent rights to the water.

“But if we don’t use it all in 20 years, we can ask for an extension of our time,” Stewart said.

Mayor Sue Hack said she didn’t know if the city needed the additional water.

“But I’d certainly hate to not have it if we need it,” she said. “I think this is evidence of some really strong long-range planning by our utilities department.”

Environmentalists said they were unconcerned by the city’s additional take because it would probably have little effect on the river.

“It’s probably minimal compared to other things that affect the quantity of the river,” said Debra Baker, a Lawrence resident who is a Friends of the Kaw board member.

“With the reservoirs that are regulated upstream, it’s always had a pretty good flow,” she said. “I don’t think the relatively small amount the city takes has any environmental effect, or on any habitat.”