Editorial: Prevent hardships, conserve our water

Friday, March 22, 2002 | 5:12 a.m.

It's a lot easier to believe in water conservation than to practice it. That's why Pat Mulroy, general manager of the Las Vegas Valley Water District, is talking about how new water rates tentatively scheduled for next year may do more to reward minimal users and penalize heavy users. Water rates are dictated by "tiers," with each tier indicating heavier use and therefore higher per-gallon costs. The new rates may contain sharper increases for heavy use and no increases or even lower rates for thrifty water consumers.

The state is limited on how much water it can draw from the Colorado River. The longer we can go without tapping into other sources, such as ground water from Lincoln County or diversions from the Virgin River, the better. And there is no guarantee those sources will be allowed, which means future generations might face forced conservation. It's better to conserve voluntarily now than to create hardships for future generations.

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