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So, what are we supposed to do now that New Mexico is sunny and warm? Conserve, or not?

What is the real status of water in Albuquerque? Does San Juan-Chama water really solve the problem? Why has there been so little publicity in recent years about the need for conservation? Why was the Albuquerque water conservation officer so glib about a 1-billion-gallon increase in water consumption in 2007, explaining (in "Autumn water use in Duke City swells, Tribune, Oct. 31) that "it's been sunny and warm?"

Reading the Nov. 3 Albuquerque Tribune editorial, "It's time for Duke City to turn off the faucet," elicited those questions. I am not a water expert, but I try to make sense of what is being said.

The Xeriscape Council of New Mexico promotes water conservation, educates about water realities in the desert and offers an annual water-conservation conference - the next one Feb. 21-22. Also, we offer a two-day expo - Feb. 23-24 - free and open to the public. Why has the city stopped supporting this event, which benefits the city of Albuquerque, residents and the Albuquerque-Bernalillo County Water Utility Authority?

Albuquerque and New Mexico have many involved, informed and concerned people and organizations who focus on issues of sustainability, the environment and water. Great progress had been made until recently, when the conservation focus seems to have shifted. The message to conserve water is now diluted.

The implicit message is confusing. For 10 years, from the mid-1990s, we heard about the need to conserve and to remember that we live in the desert, and we have a limited water supply. Now we hear that we really don't have a problem for the future and that our water supply is guaranteed.

A quote from the city's Web site: "The city of Albuquerque has taken a number of steps in the past few years to ensure an adequate, safe and guaranteed supply of water for residential, commercial and industrial uses well into the future."

New residents come to New Mexico from nondesert areas, and the build-it-they-will-come mentality regarding growth is self-fulfilling. Many don't seem to realize they are now in a desert environment with only eight average inches of rain per year. Conservation education must be continuous.

Does the city of Albuquerque really want to discuss the conservation issue? Would such a discussion discourage new development or keep a large company from coming here? Why all the apparent double-talk about water?

Back to basics: Cut out all the talk about the complexity of the issue. How much water do we really have? How much wet water? Who's doing the math?

Frank Titus, geohydrologist and recent speaker for the Xeriscape Council's conference, told me: "Duke City municipal water managers are masters of expediency. If one does only short-term planning, as they insist on doing, then one doesn't have to acknowledge questions of long-term hydrologic sustainability. That, in turn, allows officials to continue pursuing aggressive population growth.

"Water conservation by Albuquerque residents and commercial users must not be allowed to slack off," he continued. "Yes, this summer and fall have been warmer and drier. But only a week and a half ago . . . (it was reported) that a new study by UNM and NMSU experts shows, in essence, that warmer and drier is what we in the Southwest will face as a result of global climate change."

The water budget for Albuquerque shows all water for future growth comes from conservation. Why haven't we heard much about this need? If we overused by 1 billion gallons last year just because it was "warmer and drier," and if the future is supposed to be warmer and drier, won't that billion likely grow? How much? How fast?

Varner is executive director of the Xeriscape Council of New Mexico, based in Albuquerque.