County tightens water use further

Wednesday, Dec. 3, 2003 | 10:55 a.m.

The Clark County Commission, acting as the Las Vegas Valley Water District, on Tuesday unanimously passed new, even tighter restrictions on water use.

The move comes amid warnings of severe impacts because of more than four years of drought in the Rocky Mountains, the source of the Colorado River and 90 percent of the region's drinking water.

The restrictions principally apply to the size of water fountains and similar features at business properties, apartment complexes and other types of multiunit housing. The overlapping restrictions passed by the water district and the county already prohibit daytime operation of fountains that are larger than 200 square feet at such properties.

The new rules would apply to any fountain larger than 25 square feet. While the difference might seem small to many observers, already a handful of businesses are battling the rules.

The restrictions come as businesses are asking both the County Commission and the Las Vegas City Council to allow some exemptions from the rules. The City Council is scheduled to debate today restrictions including a proposal that would allow business property owners to trade credits for water conservation in some areas for the right to keep fountains flowing.

The county, which in October passed the "drought watch" restrictions, is scheduled on Dec. 17 to consider permitting some fountains that would use an alternative to Lake Mead water. Water officials are opposed to both proposals.

Pat Mulroy, water district general manager, said both the drought watch rules and drought alert rules to go into effect Jan. 1 are critically needed. She has promised to lobby for the rules before the city today.

If the city creates a class of exemption, the other local governments that control water will have to follow suit, she warned, a prospect that could keep some fountains running at businesses throughout Southern Nevada.

Mulroy told the commissioners that the water level in Lake Mead is now at about 1,140 feet. If it reaches 1,025, which it could next year, a drought emergency would be declared.

"The water situation becomes desperate in 2005," she said. The water intakes that supply all of Las Vegas and the suburbs are at 1,050 and 1,000 feet. Power production at Hoover Dam also would be curtailed if the water level keeps falling, Mulroy said.

"Unless there is some significant snowfall by March or April of next year, we will know that we will be in drought emergency by January 2005," she said.

The importance of the fountains is in the perception that other states have of Las Vegas' water use practices, Mulroy said.

"This drought is affecting every state in the Colorado basin," she said. "Our only drought buffer lies in other states.

"Our house has to be in order. Hence, the ordinances on fountains. I understand it is difficult and unpleasant to turn things off."

Mulroy said all the governments in the region will have to play by the same set of rules, a reference to today's debate at City Hall.

"I'm hopeful there is simply a misunderstanding of the severity of the drought," she said. "Ultimately, there has to be one ordinance that everyone in Southern Nevada adheres to."

One of the headaches for water officials is keeping all of the local governments on the same page. In some cases, such as the city of Las Vegas and Clark County, local rules overlap with the rules of the water provider for both areas, which is the Las Vegas Valley Water District. All three government boards have to agree on the rules.

"Where the water is used is determined by the city and the county," said Vince Alberta, a spokesman for both the water district and the Southern Nevada Water Authority, the water wholesaler for all of Southern Nevada. "How the water is used is determined by the water district. There is some overlap."

The cities of North Las Vegas, Henderson and Boulder City, on the other hand, have their utility services under the local government umbrella, so there is only one board to work with. However, the rules in the suburban cities still have to agree with those for their larger neighbors.

At the prompting of Commissioner Yvonne Atkinson Gates, Mulroy referred to the request before the county to allow fountains to function if the water is trucked in from elsewhere or even replaced with some other substance.

Mulroy said in that case, the water district would have to ensure that the fountains were physically disconnected from the public water supplies and sewers.

Any connection could cause contamination through backflow into the water system, she said.

"Our first responsibility is the health and safety of those who use our water," Mulroy said.

The Henderson City Council on Tuesday postponed changing rules for restrictions and exemptions on fountains until Las Vegas and the county determine what course to take.

Sun reporter

Dan Kulin contributed to this story.