Las Vegas Sun

March 28, 2024

Sun City-Summerlin vows to keep fountains running

Although Las Vegas water agencies have been asking businesses to cut back the use of ornamental fountains because of extreme drought, Sun City-Summerlin will keep the water flowing.

Don Barsky, executive director of Sun City-Summerlin Community Association and president of the Nevada Golf Course Owners Association, said Tuesday that his board has decided to keep the fountains on until enforcement rules are enacted by Las Vegas.

Although the water authority passed recommended regulations to encourage drought-related conservation measures, it is up to local governments to enact the enforcement penalties. Richard Wimmer, deputy general manager of the water authority and the Las Vegas Valley Water District, said he expects the enforcement to begin in June.

"We feel that it is an unfair regulation," Barsky said Tuesday after a meeting of a citizens advisory committee looking at water rates for district consumers. "Not everyone is being asked to shut down their ornamental fountains.

"Why not the casinos?"

The staff of the water authority, which provides wholesale water to the Las Vegas district and other local distributors throughout Clark County, have consistently said that water uses with economic benefit -- such as the tourist-attracting water displays at the Bellagio -- would not be asked to shut down.

"We feel there's an economic benefit to protecting our home values by having ornamental fountains," Barsky said.

The region's urban water users are almost completely dependent on water from Lake Mead. More than three years of drought have left the lake about 75 feet below its high-water point of 1,225 feet in 1983, and about 100 feet above the intake level for the upper "straw" bringing water to Las Vegas.

Barsky and golf course owners and managers unsuccessfully tried to have the new drought rules for golf courses delayed when the water authority board passed the recommendations in February. They argued that the rules, which would include penalties for heavy water use, would negatively affect the industry.

Sun City-Summerlin has three golf courses.

Barsky said the ornamental fountains for the retirement community would immediately be shut off if the city of Las Vegas passes enforcement rules.

"The minute they pass any ordinance, we will comply," he said. "If the enforcement policies are adopted and there's a $1 penalty, we will comply."

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