Doubling of sewage output sought

Monday, June 4, 2001 | 10:55 a.m.

The three major wastewater treatment plants in the Las Vegas Valley are asking the state's permission to double the amount of treated sewage they are dumping into the Las Vegas Wash.

The requests from the Clark County Sanitation District, Las Vegas and Henderson treatment plants come as Lake Mead experiences its worst bloom ever of algae, the most visible sign of the discharges.

Treated wastewater, which looks clear as it flows into the Las Vegas Wash, often contains nitrogen and phosphorous, which feed algae and can cause other problems with the water's quality.

The agencies' requests are part of a review done by every five years by the state Division of Environmental Protection of the amount of discharge into Lake Mead, the Las Vegas Valley's primary source of drinking water. The treatment plants can request increases in the amounts they discharge only during the reviews.

Las Vegas Bay Marina owner Gail Kaiser has objected to the increase. People who enjoy the lake such as swimmers or boaters don't want water officials to allow more effluent to run into the wash, Kaiser said Friday.

"How can they justify putting more wastewater in there until we clean up what is in there?" she asked.

The algae bloom started in February. Normally, green algae dies by mid-April. But the lake's waters have not warmed above 77 degrees Fahrenheit, the temperature needed to kill the bloom, scientists said. Officials estimate it could take until the end of June or July for the water to warm up sufficiently.

Kaiser voiced her opposition at a public hearing on the requests on May 23 in Las Vegas.

Since then five public comments have been received by the division's Carson City office. The division will accept written public comments until Friday, said Jonathan Palm, permits branch manager for the state's Bureau of Water Pollution Control.

Las Vegas resident Ann Reynolds wrote, asking state officials not to add more discharges to the lake. "Please stop further damage to the water supply of the valley," she said.

Henderson resident Krystal Virgin also asked the state to deny permission to add more wastewater discharges. "The algae blooms will only get worse if your agency approves wastewater discharges from sewage treatment facilities at capacities specified in their permit applications totaling 243.5 million gallons per day," she said.

Both the Clark County Comprehensive Planning Division and the Southern Nevada Water Authority, the regional umbrella agency that manages drinking water for the valley, support the proposal to expand discharges. The water authority noted that the more treated wastewater discharged into the lake, the more water Las Vegas can take from the Colorado River under a federal agreement.

None of the comments received so far would jeopardize renewing the discharge permits, Palm said. After Friday, all comments received by the division will be evaluated, he said.