Water district to replace chlorine use in treatment

Wednesday, April 29, 1998 | 10:21 a.m.

The Las Vegas Valley Water District plans to convert its drinking water treatment system from using chlorine to sodium hypochlorite to kill bacteria and other organisms.

It will cost the district $2 million for the treatment conversion, but will improve the quality and safety of the district's drinking water, according to the proposed water district budget reviewed today.

By using sodium hypochlorite, the disinfectant process uses a solid chemical compound rather than chlorine gas. Many drinking water systems are converting to alternatives other than chlorine, which forms harmful chemical byproducts in the water.

Although the cost of water treatment is rising, residential rates are not increasing this year, LVVWD Finance Director Carey Casey said during a workshop to brief water district board members.

Instead the district will impose higher charges for reliable service to commercial customers.

Efficiency and conservation have helped trim water district expenses and avoid a rate hike, Casey said.

The reliability surcharge, actually an excise tax, will raise about $2.6 million in the next year, Casey said. The surcharge was approved by the 1997 Legislature and a citizens advisory committee for the water district to help pay for the growing demands in service.

Certain customers, such as 24-hour businesses, need a reliable supply of water, Casey explained. In order for that assurance, the water district is initiating a charge to pay for reliable service.

Homeowners pay a quarter percent for a reliability surcharge, while commercial customers will be charged 2.5 percent, or 10 times the residential rate, he said.

The overall proposed budget is $242 million, compared to $232 million this year.

Total revenues for the coming year are expected to increase by just under $10 million, a 4.3 percent increase. More than half of the increase, $5.6 million, is in water revenue. The rest of the revenues come from interlocal agreements, connection fees, commodity charges and reliability surcharges.

Revenues from local fees for new service are expected to be generally flat this year.

Payroll is expected to increase by $3.7 million, reflecting 25 new positions along with cost of living and merit increases.

A public hearing on the budget is scheduled for 8:45 a.m. May 18 in the Clark County Commission Chambers at the county's Government Center, 500 S. Grand Central Parkway.

Board members also learned that 60,000 homes contributed to a 13 percent water conservation target set by the district that resulted in lower water bills for customers. The district has set a goal of 25 percent year-round conservation by 2010.