Sunday, May 30, 2004
Copyright © Las Vegas Review-Journal

NEVADA VIEWS: Helping to conserve

Reclaimed water can be an integral part of the process

When we talk about reclaimed water to audiences in our community, we typically get two responses. Residents that have relocated to Southern Nevada from other water-conscious communities nod their heads in understanding and support, while those less familiar with water conservation in the desert may not appreciate the benefits of water reuse.

Let's start with the basics: Reclaimed water starts as wastewater coming from the homes and businesses in our community. Traveling through miles of pipelines to a water reclamation facility, this wastewater undergoes physical, biological and chemical treatments to meet the stringent discharge standards required by the state of Nevada. Here's a fact that isn't widely known: The treatment standards set by the state of Nevada for the Clark County Water Reclamation District, are among the highest in the United States. Reclaimed water is clean and safe to be put back to use for irrigation or industrial coolant.

Reclaimed water's beneficial use isn't a new concept in our nation -- or even in Clark County. The first local sales agreement for reclaimed water between the Clark County Water Reclamation District and Nevada Power Co. was signed in 1958. The former Winterwood Golf Course began using reclaimed water 40 years ago. In other communities, reclaimed water has been put to use for irrigating median strips, community parks, school yards and even agricultural fields.

Technology enables the Clark County Water Reclamation District to clean wastewater to a standard that makes it safe for expanded uses in our community. The current practice of using reclaimed water for golf courses and for power generation makes it an excellent substitution for what would otherwise consume a great deal of our drinking water. Our community has reached a point, both in terms of water resource management as well as new technologies in treatment, that it is time to make a new investment. This investment will become an important component of the integrated water planning process now being developed by the Southern Nevada Water Authority.

Now is the time for our community to invest in a new infrastructure, to treat and deliver reclaimed water to more customers. Bringing reclaimed water to additional golf courses is an increased use with an obvious benefit, but we believe it is time to preserve the green grass of community parks and school yards wherever possible by irrigating with reclaimed water.

The Clark County Water Reclamation District's Board of Trustees will conduct a public hearing on June 1 at 9:10 a.m. in the commission chambers of the Clark County Government Center. Among the rule changes to be considered by the trustees is a key provision to allow the district to construct and operate the delivery systems and to collaborate with other water purveyors, such as the Las Vegas Valley Water District and the Big Bend Water District, to bring reclaimed water to more sites.

There are numerous turf areas in the unincorporated county that are ideal for switching the irrigation water source from drinking water to reclaimed water. We believe this is an important step forward for increasing the use of reclaimed water and making it part of the valley's water resource management strategy.

Peter Archuleta is general manager of the Clark County Water Reclamation District.