Las Vegas water charge boost OK’d; not expected to affect customers
After a delay prompted by questions and confusion, Southern Nevada Water Authority board members signed off Thursday on a water charge increase that is not expected to raise rates on customers.
The board was supposed to vote last month on a proposal to add $10 to what the authority charges its member utilities for each acre-foot of water they receive. But the item seemed to catch board members off guard and drew complaints about transparency from the Las Vegas Metro Chamber of Commerce and others.
At the time, authority General Manager Pat Mulroy insisted the bump in the wholesale delivery charge was routine and would not result in higher bills to customers.
The increase, due to take effect July 1, will raise the delivery charge for treated water to $303 and for untreated water to $232 per acre-foot, which is roughly the amount of water used by two average valley homes each year.
The Las Vegas Valley Water District and the cities of North Las Vegas and Henderson, the authority’s member utilities, are expected to absorb the higher rate for wholesale water without passing it on to residents and business.
Contact reporter Henry Brean at hbrean@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-0350.
