LETTER: Water district excessive water use charge is unfair

The Las Vegas Valley Water District’s recently implemented “excessive use charge” for any residential property using more than 28,000 gallons of water per month, during summer, is unfair and contrary to its long-standing policy of grandfathering in existing property features such as front lawns, pools, ponds and fountains. Every property is different, and any buyer should be able to expect to keep what he or she bought in functional status.

With a bright-line 28,000 gallon limit now facing them, however, owners whose property is primary greenery and growth oriented, and not structure, may be faced with having to denude their property of foliage in order to pay their water bills.

Instead, the water district should be able to establish a baseline for each property based on historical use. If needed, an across-the-board percentage reduction to all properties could be instituted.

To institute a Draconian measure on the larger-acre existing properties is not only unfair, it is potentially unconstitutional based on the “ex post facto” legal restrictions.