Hearing on proposed changes to water rates is scheduled

Tuesday, June 17, 2003 | 11:13 a.m.

Water customers facing higher rates for the water they use and new restrictions on when and how they use it can speak on the proposed changes July 15.

The Clark County Commission, acting as the Las Vegas Valley Water District and the Kyle Canyon Water District, on Tuesday set the date for public hearings on the rates and service rules for Las Vegas and much of the unincorporated county, including Mount Charleston.

The moves, approved 5-0, are in response to a four-year drought in the West that threatens water supplies in Lake Mead, the source of nearly 90 percent of the region's drinking water. The same drought is threatening the groundwater that supplies the 1,050 residents of Mount Charleston.

The rate changes in the Las Vegas Valley would raise rates up to 39 percent for some city and county residents, although many users would see much smaller increases, down to 10 percent. The conservation measures would apply the heaviest increases to the biggest water users.

The average family would see its bill rise by about $5.27 unless it cut water use. The Las Vegas Valley Water District provides service to about 1 million people.

The commission also approved a hearing on new service restrictions, including rules designed to encourage water-efficient landscaping. The goal of the service rules and rate changes is to save at least 8 percent over current use patterns.