Water authority adopts budget that includes new Lake Mead intake work

Southern Nevada Water Authority chief Pat Mulroy said the economic downturn is having a “stunning impact” on her agency, but that there is one very expensive project that cannot afford a delay.

Mulroy said the authority is in a race against time to complete a new intake system to draw water from deep in Lake Mead.

Roughly 90 percent of the valley’s drinking water is drawn from the lake through two existing intakes, but the reservoir’s surface could shrink below the level of one of those pipes by 2013.

“So continuing and finishing this third intake is of critical importance to the community,” Mulroy said.

Her comments came today as water authority board members signed off on a $674.7 million spending plan for the fiscal year that starts July 1. That’s $21 million less than the current $695.6 million budget approved last May.

The new budget includes $267.5 million for major construction projects, $170 million of which is for the third intake.

Later in Thursday’s meeting, the board awarded a $42.3 million contract to Henderson-based KW Pipeline for a portion of the project.