Neighborhood residents want deeper wells, not city water

Thursday, Nov. 6, 1997 | 10:43 a.m.

HENDERSON -- Angry homeowners hooked to a community well system contaminated with nitrate confronted officials Wednesday night, demanding more time for solving their water problem.

Most do not want to hook up to Henderson's water system. Many worry about perchlorate contamination from Lake Mead more than they do about nitrate in their well water.

But the nitrate level poses a health risk to vulnerable people.

The Clark County Health District sent notice Aug. 5 that the well supply had 15 parts per million nitrate in it. Any amount above 10 parts per million violates the safe drinking water standard.

Nitrate robs the blood of oxygen, putting infants under 6 months of age or anyone with heart or lung problems receiving less oxygen at risk.

Infants who drank nitrate-laced water in areas of the U.S. where agricultural runoff has caused a problem have died from the chemical, said Ed Wojcik, senior environmental manager for the Health District.

Of 30 homeowners belonging to the Mayfield Water Users Association, 23 attended a town meeting at Vandenberg Elementary School to hear their options.

Seaynoah Mayfield, association president, asked to meet with state representatives to see if he can drill the three wells deeper than 200 feet in an effort to look for more water.

Typically the Nevada state engineer's office has turned down requests to redrill wells in Southern Nevada when a municipal water line is closer than 1,300 feet. The valley's groundwater is shrinking rapidly and the state is trying to protect the resource by capping wells.

A water line to South Fork, a development south of Mayfield near Eastern Avenue and Lake Mead Drive, ran a water line near the three wells.

Both Henderson City Public Works Director Kurt Segler and Wojcik said a state grant program could help homeowners pay for the average $5,500 per home bill to link to the city's water.

A state water resources board will consider a letter of intent from the city on behalf of Mayfield's association, Segler said.

If approved, up to 85 percent of the hookup costs will be paid and homeowners will owe about $50 a month over 10 years in addition to paying for water at roughly $35 a month.

If homeowners have to shoulder the entire burden, however, the hookups will cost each one $17,000 just to tie into the city's system. Then there would be added costs of capping wells, installing individual meters and other expenses.

Wojcik and Segler said they are willing to assist the Mayfield residents in any way possible. Future town meetings will be called.

If the Mayfield association refuses to tie into city water and efforts to drill the wells deeper failed, the Health District has to turn the case over to the state, Wojcik said.

Failing to address the contamination is punishable by a $2,500 per-day fine. There are four violations, which would total $10,000 a day if the state assessed penalties.