The council room in the mansion was buzzing with conversation as George took his usual seat at the head of the long, battered wooden table. The group had gathered to discuss the next major development project for New Haven, a permanent running water system. After weeks of hauling water from nearby creeks and makeshift wells, the time had come to build something more sustainable.
Marcy stood at the front of the room, a map of New Haven and its surroundings spread out across the table. Her fingers traced the winding path of a nearby river that cut through the valley below New Haven. "This is our solution," she said, her voice calm but authoritative. "The river runs year-round, and if we can reroute part of it, we'll have a steady supply of fresh water for the entire community."