Las Vegas Sun

March 28, 2024

City prepares to build wastewater treatment plant

North Las Vegas is moving ahead with plans to build its first wastewater treatment plant as higher sewage rates charged the city by Las Vegas threaten to substantially increase monthly bills for residents and businesses.

North Las Vegas officials are scheduled to appear before the Clark County Commission on Oct. 4 to seek approval for a sewage treatment plant that would lessen the city's dependance on Las Vegas and the Clark County Water Reclamation District to provide the service, said David Bereskin, the city's utility director.

The city has yet to consider any sites for the plant, but officials said the upcoming site study, once the county grants approval, has some residents fearing it will be built in their neighborhood.

"We have to be very careful," Councilman William Robinson said during Wednesday's meeting in which the council authorized staff to continue pursuing a plant. "Some people are already up in arms."

Southern and southeastern portions of North Las Vegas are the likely targets for a treatment plant because the waste needs to flow downhill by gravity flow to lessen the cost of moving the waste through sewer lines, officials said. Moving the waste through lines via pumps is expensive.

North Las Vegas wants to build its own treatment plant at a cost of up to $150 million to lower what is already by far one of the highest rates any area city charges residents for sewer treatment.

The existing cost of $344 a year for the typical home is slated to increase to $388 a year in October as part of the third year in a three-year rate hike implemented by the city.

"It is obvious to me that we have no choice (but to build a plant) because the rates could go up even more," said Councilwoman Stephanie Smith.

The city estimates it will save $250 million over the next 30 years by treating its own waste. Building a plant in North Las Vegas should ultimately reduce rates by about $60 a year, city officials said.

That won't come soon enough, however, for North Las Vegas residents. On Wednesday, the City Council authorized city staff to start a study on what the city's sewer rates should be in the upcoming years.

A rate estimate presented to the council showed that the city needs to charge much higher monthly sewer rates if it wants to recover the cost of what it must pay Las Vegas, which handles about 90 percent of the city's wastewater treatment. The Clark County Water Reclamation District handles the other 10 percent.

Las Vegas increased North Las Vegas' wastewater rates by 20 percent in June 2004 and another 16.7 percent in January. The rates are expected to increase 3 percent to 4 percent at a minimum a year and maybe higher, North Las Vegas officials said.

Based on those costs to the city, the rate estimate shows North Las Vegas would need to raise rates 10 percent in 2007, 30 percent in 2008 and 49 percent in 2009. That would result in a rate of $579 a year for the average household, up $235 from residents currently pay, officials said.

But City Manager Gregory Rose pointed out that the city tries to absorb some of the added cost it pays for sewage treatment and wouldn't pass it all on to residents.

In May the council authorized the city to sell $140 million in bonds to fund the treatment plant, which officials hope can be constructed in the next three to four years.

The city would finance the construction of the plant, the largest capital project in the city's history, with the monthly sewer bill revenue and other sources. The city is seeking a $30 million low-interest loan from the state and plans to apply Clark County sales tax revenue specifically earmarked for wastewater treatment. That revenue currently goes to Las Vegas and Clark County.

Rose said he doesn't expect any opposition from Las Vegas or the county. He said the city may discuss deals where it would be easier for those agencies to treat North Las Vegas waste in some areas and easier for North Las Vegas to cover territories of those agencies.

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