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Feb. 18, 2003 The County Commission unanimously adopted the Southern Nevada Water Authoritys drought plan. The plan was developed with input from residents, businesses and representatives from area local governments. Stakeholders worked to develop consistent restrictions for drought conditions valley wide within the drought plan and the subsequent drought ordinance.
April 1, 2003 The County Commission approved the countys water conservation action plan. The plan provides a framework of steps needed to cut outdoor water use by 25 percent at county parks and on street medians and building landscapes. Staff was directed to continue identifying and evaluating opportunities to conserve water and the associated costs.
July 15, 2003 The County Commission approved the countys drought ordinance, which enacted into law several water conservation measures outlined in the Water Authoritys drought plan. The ordinance is designed to strike a balance between maintaining the valleys quality of life and dealing realistically with the fact that Southern Nevada exists in a desert and has a limited supply of water. The drought ordinance outlines specific measures to reduce water demand and prepare the public for current and future drought scenarios. These measures are outlined in amendments to Title 30 and Title 24 of the drought ordinance.
In addition, water providers in Southern Nevada such as the Las Vegas Valley Water District have amended service rules to deal with the drought. In general service rules cover water-use regulations and enforcement issues. Watering group assignments, for example, are addressed in service rules. Service rules also address limits on car washing, the use of mist systems and golf course water budgets. The countys drought ordinance covers changes to the local development code regarding landscape requirements. The ordinance, for example, changed the start time of seasonal water restrictions to 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. It also prohibits the adoption or enforcement of private agreements, including homeowners association covenants, conditions and restrictions (CCRs) that restrict homeowners from converting to xeriscape.
Sept. 16, 2003 The Commission approved an aggressive, $15 million, five-year plan that calls for the removal of at least 3.1 million square feet of turf from parks and medians throughout the county. The turf will be replaced with synthetic turf or water-smart landscaping. The countys goal is to cut water use by 25 percent by 2009.
Oct. 7, 2003 The Commission approved the Parks and Community Services Departments water conservation implementation report. The plan lays out a five-year program that will save at least 220 million gallons of water annually when its fully implemented. The savings will reduce the countys water bill by $400 thousand.
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