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Sandstone Online, June 2004 Drought Article Update

County Dedicates New Section of Website to Drought Information

With the arrival of 2004, new water conservation measures went into effect to help Southern Nevada deal a historic drought under way across the West.

On Jan. 1, Southern Nevada officially moved from Drought Watch to Drought Alert, the second in a three-stage plan that is designed to help the community cope with one of the worst dry spells on record in the Colorado River Basin.

Now in its fifth year, the drought has caused water levels at Lake Mead to drop more than 75 feet. The lake supplies nearly 90 percent of the water used in Southern Nevada.

Entering Drought Alert means additional drought restrictions are in effect to help the community save water.

"With Lake Meads water levels continuing to drop, we knew a more severe stage of drought was coming," said Clark County Commissioner Myrna Williams, who is president of the Las Vegas Valley Water Districts Board of Directors and a member of the Southern Nevada Water Authoritys Board of Directors. "The challenge under Drought Alert is to keep up the good work that began last February when we first declared a Drought Watch. Our efforts to conserve water are making a difference. Now we have to do even more to treat water as the precious resource that it is, especially in our desert community."

In January Clark County unveiled a new section on its website at www.accessclarkcounty.com to educate residents about the drought. The section outlines the water-use restrictions that go into effect as the community enters different drought stages. The water-use restrictions affect home and business owners and public agencies that receive water service from the cities of Henderson, North Las Vegas and Boulder City and the Las Vegas Valley Water District.

Under current Drought Alert restrictions, residential car wash restrictions are in effect. Homeowners can wash their vehicles once a week in their driveways if they use a leak-free garden hose and equip it with a shut-off nozzle to control water flow.

The Water Authority is considering additional water-use restrictions that would go into effect under Drought Emergency, the most severe state of drought within the three-phase system.

"Weve never had to deal with a drought of this scale before so we have to allow some room for negotiation and new ideas," said Clark County Commissioner Rory Reid. "The one thing I think most everyone agrees with is unity is the key to dealing with the drought. Whether you live in the county or one of the local cities, any water-use restrictions that go into effect in one community should be in place valleywide."

As of Jan. 1, the following restrictions are in place under Drought Alert:

Watering Group Assignments

Mandatory landscape watering restrictions are in effect for all properties. Every property is assigned to a watering group and each group may only water on assigned days each season. To find out which group your property is in, visit www.snwa.com.

• Winter - Nov. 1 through February: Water landscape once a week based on your assigned watering day.
• Spring - March 1 through April: Water landscape three days a week based on your assigned watering days.
• Summer - May 1 through August 31: Watering is permitted daily except during the hottest hours of the day, 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.
• Fall - Sept. 1 through October: Water landscape three days a week based on your assigned watering days.

Turf in New Developments

Turf is prohibited in front yards of new homes where permits are issued after January 1, 2004. Turf is limited to 50 percent of the back and side yards in new homes. Turf also is restricted at new commercial and multifamily developments.

Mist Systems

Use of mist systems for human comfort at commercial properties are prohibited from Sept. 1 through May 31.

• Businesses are allowed to operate misting systems from June 1 to Aug. 31 between noon and 10 p.m.
• Homeowners are exempt from misting restrictions.

Vehicle Washing

Homeowners are allowed to wash vehicles once a week.

• Residents need to use a leak-free garden hose that is equipped with a shut-off nozzle to control water flow.
• Vehicles also can be washed at commercial car washes where water is captured and delivered directly to the sewer system or via mobile car washing businesses that use professional high-pressure, low-volume sprayers and less than 10 gallons of water per vehicle.

Water Waste Fees

Water waste fees increase in Drought Alert. Water waste fees are based on meter size. First-time residential fees typically start at $25 and all fees double with each violation. Contact your water supplier for more information.

More Information

For more information on drought restrictions, call the Conservation Helpline at 258-SAVE or visit SNWA.com .