LETTERS: Water-smart customers get little thanks

To the editor:

I know I’m not the only one with a huge question about the request from the Southern Nevada Water Authority to be water smart. My family and I have done everything that was asked of us and more. We bought a low-water toilet, put in xeriscaping, use dish water to water plants, only run the dishwasher when it’s filled to the brim, wash our cars at a car wash and not in the street, take camping-style showers and anything else we can do to protect our precious water supply.

So how are we thanked? Our rates are raised, permission is given to build more unneeded, tightly packed tracts of homes, water parks are approved, huge casino water features are running unnecessarily (saying these use recycled water is a joke; water evaporates and needs to be replaced), and all kinds of water is wasted in construction work under the guise of keeping the dirt down.

We don’t need more destruction of the desert, as there is so much empty real estate in the city as it is. These are just a few examples of misuse outside of the homeowners’ sphere. Hence, if I don’t follow the rules anymore, my guilt factor has been nullified.

ELIZABETH POOLE

LAS VEGAS