Editorial: Well owners in valley could get hammered

Wednesday, March 31, 1999 | 11:52 a.m.

The Southern Nevada Water Authority backs legislation that has a laudable goal: Assembly Bill 347 aims to replenish depleted ground water in the valley basin. The 1,200-member Nevada Well Association supports the recharge plan and doesn't object to an annual increase in fees for well users to help pay for pumping more water back into the basin.

Southern Nevada well owners, however, believe that other parts of the bill are unfair. If their wells run dry, they don't own the rights to the water under their land, so they must hook up to the water authority's system, which well owners say can cost from $15,000 to $55,000. AB347 would allow well owners to pay for the cost of linking to the water authority's system by receiving low-interest loans. The water authority has suggested 5 percent loans, but well owners instead want zero-percent loans and a reduction in the total cost for hookup to the water authority's system.

The water authority should revisit the hookup costs and payment plan, making them affordable for well owners. After all, valleywide growth has caused the water table to be depleted and create restrictions on well owners, who in turn are being asked to bear more than their fair share of sacrifices.