Las Vegas Valley to resume testing water for lead, copper

It’s that time of year again, when Las Vegas Valley water managers send out glossy booklets to customers, revealing what harmful compounds — if any — may be lurking in their drinking water.

Whether customers are served by the Las Vegas Valley Water District, or water districts in Henderson or North Las Vegas, their water comes from either Lake Mead or groundwater wells, all of which are in good shape, said Carolyn Faircloth, laboratory manager at the Las Vegas Valley Water District.

While some parts of the valley rely on groundwater, the massive Lake Mead reservoir along the Colorado River is the main source of water, providing roughly 90 percent of the region’s supply.

“The Southern Nevada Water Authority has a really good, clean water source as it is,” Faircloth said.

Faircloth’s water district serves the city of Las Vegas and much of unincorporated Clark County.

The Southern Nevada Water Authority, however, has representation from all of the region’s water districts.

No lead service pipes in Las Vegas Valley

But two metrics that need more data soon are particularly crucial ones: lead and copper.

Especially in older cities, the main contaminant of concern for water systems throughout the country is lead, for which the Las Vegas Valley tests once every three years, Faircloth said.

Lead exposure has been linked to problems such as lowered IQ, brain damage, nerve disorders and more, according to the Environmental Protection Agency.

Las Vegas, however, is not considered to be a city with legacy lead pollution.

Water systems that serve the valley are free of any leaded pipes, meaning the only potential source of lead exposure would be at individual homes — generally those that were built before 1986.

“We are a younger community with younger infrastructure,” Faircloth said. “When you have cities in the East Coast and other parts of the United States that are centuries old, they are not afforded that community confidence.”

Lead testing will resume this year

To ensure compliance with EPA regulations, water districts without leaded pipes conduct testing at 50 homes every three years. If more than 10 percent of those samples are above federal limits, water districts must take action.

The last time Henderson and the Las Vegas Valley Water District conducted testing was 2022, so the latest report reflects old data. North Las Vegas tested for lead and copper in 2024.

Only one home of the 50 tested in the Las Vegas Valley district was above the EPA limit, Faircloth said. The water district conducted follow-up testing to identify the problem pipes and recommend service.

The report shows that 90 percent of homes were at or below 2.6 micrograms per liter — compared with the federal limit of 15.

North Las Vegas had 90 percent of homes at or below 1.4 micrograms per liter, while Henderson found that 90 percent of homes were at or below 2.5 micrograms per liter.

All three water districts were in compliance with copper levels, as well.

Henderson and the Las Vegas Valley Water District will test homes again this summer, but Faircloth is fairly certain the results will be similar.

The city of North Las Vegas will be required to test again in 2027.

Above all, Faircloth maintains that Las Vegas residents should be put at ease by water quality testing that is so rigorous.

“We drink the water, too,” Faircloth said. “We’re doing everything we can to make sure that water from the lake to your tap is safe to drink, and that it meets or surpasses the EPA Safe Drinking Water Act requirements and regulations.”

Contact Alan Halaly at ahalaly@reviewjournal.com. Follow @AlanHalaly on X.