Friday, February 27, 2004
Copyright © Las Vegas Review-Journal

Some drought rules relaxed

Car-washing, misting, fountain use affected

The regional water authority on Thursday relaxed its unpopular restrictions on at-home car washing, misting systems and ornamental fountains, though not without some qualms.

"What worries me about it is that once we start allowing things we've said we've restricted, will conservation continue as it has been going?" asked board member Myrna Williams, also a county commissioner. "Or will people start to think that because I can wash my car now, everything is OK?"

Pat Mulroy, general manager of the Southern Nevada Water Authority, responded, "It's up to us to make sure they know better than that."

Authority administrators said the rules could be relaxed in part because valley residents were responding well to the call to conserve, adding that the changes could be made with a negligible impact on the water supply. Last year, less than 272,000 acre-feet of water was consumed in the Las Vegas Valley, down from a net total of 318,000 acre-feet in 2002.

Under the changes, which still must be approved by local municipalities, residents would be allowed again to wash their cars at home without using expensive, flow-limiting nozzles such as those found at commercial car washes. At-home car washing would be allowed only once a week, and only with a trigger-style nozzle that prevents the flow of water when the hose is not in use.

The board also lifted the ban on misting systems at homes and businesses. And, following in the footsteps of the city of Las Vegas, it changed its policy on ornamental fountains.

In December, the Las Vegas City Council voted to grant waivers to the fountain ban if business operators adopted plans to cut water use by an amount 50 times greater than their fountains consumed. The water authority would allow the use of ornamental fountains but would require owners to remove 50 square feet of turf for every square foot of the fountain's surface area.

Owners of properties that have no turf would be charged an annual fee of $10 per square foot of fountain. Owners of properties with some turf but not enough for the 50-to-1 ratio would be required to remove all turf and pay a $10 fee for each square foot of fountain not offset by turf removal.

"I think what's important about it is that it isn't a free ride," said Doug Bennett, the authority's conservation manager.

The fees would go toward the authority's Water Smart landscape program, which gives rebates to people who remove grass and replace it with drought-resistant landscaping. Those who remove grass so they can run their fountains would be ineligible for the rebates. The program received an additional $8 million from the board Thursday, providing funding through the current fiscal year ending June 30.

The authority's proposed budget for the next fiscal year sets aside $32 million for rebates.

Though some consider bans on car washing, mist systems and fountains as mostly symbolic based on the amount of water they save, Bennett said the water authority is not giving up on such restrictions.

The restrictions on car washes and misting systems will be reinstated should Southern Nevada move from a drought alert to a drought emergency. The change in fountain restrictions would apply only during drought alert and the less severe drought watch.

The drought level is based on the level of Lake Mead, from which the valley gets most of its water. According to projections by the federal Bureau of Reclamation, the lake could slip below 1,125 feet above sea level in April 2005, reducing Nevada's share of Colorado River water to the minimum of 300,000 acre-feet and triggering a drought emergency.

Additional information on water restrictions and tips on conservation are available online at www.snwa.com or by calling 258-SAVE.