New well planned to help residents of Kyle Canyon

Afsha Bawany

Wednesday, July 23, 2003 | 9:53 a.m.

The Las Vegas Valley Water District expects to have a new well pumping water for Kyle Canyon next month, and residents such as Becky Grismanauskas say it's about time.

Kyle Canyon's water needs "had been neglected for so many years," said Grismanauskas, who sits on the Mount Charleston Town Advisory Board. "This is absolutely a godsend to this community."

Grismanauskas said residents have grown increasingly worried about not just whether there is enough water for lawns and household use, but also whether they will have enough water to douse flames if there is a fire in the area.

Water officials have similar concerns. The state's drought and the lack of snow on the mountain made water authorities declare Kyle Canyon's water situation critical, so the new well that wasn't supposed to be pumped until next year will instead be running next month. The Water District also is restoring an old well in the canyon.

In the meantime, people who live in the 340 homes in Kyle Canyon "have had to change their watering behaviors and fine tune their watering, " said Kevin Fisher, director of operations for the Water District.

Kyle Canyon residents must follow similar watering guidelines as valley residents but can water their lawns only once a week during this critical stage. Residents may not wash their cars during this time and are not allowed to wash surfaces, buildings or equipment.

"It helps us to manage the system," Fisher said.

Following the watering guidelines should help ensure that the reservoirs will always be full for fire protection and other emergencies, Fisher said.

Kyle Canyon's infrastructure needs are high because the systems are old. After the drilling and completion of the new well, a storage reservoir with a 300,000-gallon tank will be built next summer, Fisher said. The total cost of both projects is estimated at $1.3 million.

The project is funded by a state grant. A low interest loan will also be given to the community to help pay for the project.

Kyle County residents will pay the grant back to themselves instead of the state. The money will be placed in a special fund that can be used for future water projects.

The new well will be placed with temporary equipment including a motor, pump and generator because there is not enough time to install a permanent one. The equipment will be replaced next spring. The older well will still be used as an emergency fallback, Fisher said.

Although Grismanauskas said some residents may be unhappy paying more for the services, she said, "We got ourselves in a severe situation. It's what we needed to do. It's been pretty stressful for us."

She also said residents are concerned about their water supply because the area's population is increasing and the canyon attracts a number of visitors and local residents annually.

Fisher said water officials are doing their best to meet the distinct challenges of Kyle Canyon and the residents there have been supportive in the district's efforts.