Letter: Here’s hoping Las Vegas meets a better fate

Edward Howatt

Saturday, Oct. 13, 2007 | 7:13 a.m.

While 2 million people live in Clark County, Las Vegas is the main attraction.

Visitors come to Las Vegas to enjoy the opulent casinos. They also come for conventions, golf and other outdoor activities. They and their families marvel at the unique constructions along the Strip and see the attractions on Fremont Street. Las Vegas is indeed a spectacular city, built in a desert.

More than 400 years ago another spectacular city was built in a desert in India. Mughal Emperor Akbar wanted it to be the new capital city for his empire. The site covered an area of 2 square miles. He named it Fatehpur Sikri.

The new city was built of brilliant red sandstone. It contained elaborate palaces, formal courtyards, reflecting pools, harems, tombs and a great mosque.

Before long it became apparent that the water supply was inadequate and the pristine complex was abandoned. Fatehpur Sikri is now a UNESCO World Heritage site. Tourists wander its dusty streets and admire its magnificent buildings.

Las Vegas hopes to overcome its desert location. Nevada and six other Colorado River states are cooperating to control the water usage from the river and from Lake Mead. The Southern Nevada Water Authority is striving to meet the growing demands for water in this region.

Starting with its conservation program, the Water Authority has established a "water bank" and is planning to pipe ground water and river water from nearby counties. Further down the line are thoughts about using treated and purified wastewater and desalination of seawater .

These actual and potential actions would seem to assure Las Vegas' future for many years to come. Should they fail, however, Las Vegas would be one more city that succumbed to the desert. Like Fatehpur Sikri, it too might some day be designated a UNESCO World Heritage site. Tourists could wander its dusty streets and admire its magnificent buildings.

Edward Howatt, Las Vegas