vpFREE2 Forums

Las Vegas water crisis

#1

There is definitely a water shortage potential in the Las Vegas area. One
reason could be the incredibly low water rates. We only have been paying about
$7 a month for water, including small amount of watering of our "desert
landscaped" front yard. While we don't wash as many dishes as we used to in PA, we
do take more showers, wash more clothes, and never used to water the yard at
all, so I'd say our water usage is at least the same, perhaps greater than in
PA. In PA we paid at least double for water. The water authority has announced
a "big" increase in water charges to try to cause people to use less. The
result will be about $1-2 more per month for us so I don't see that as doing a
lot.

Hopefully more people will take the sane approach of putting in desert
landscaping instead of watering lawns. One thing that bugs us is that some people
water during the day when it is inefficient or have broken water spiggots which
aren't actually watering anything other than the sidewalk. Such behavior
should be reported to the water authority, especially now that there are some new
regulations to help slow water usage.

[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

#2

The head of the water authority talked to us at our quarterly meeting
and explained what they are doing to combat the water crisis. While
water rates for people who use normal amounts of water will not change
much, the very wasteful will find that their bills will go up
substantially. One example was the residential customer who uses the
most here in the valley will see their water bill rise from a relatively
small amount to over $60,000 per month. That should be an incentive to
lower water use some. The regulations are being phased in over time,
but they should help a lot. And there may be some policy changes such
as the use it or lose it policy for rural properties that makes them
continue using water or have their rights cut down. That and a few new
sources that are being created should avert a major crisis.

···

-----Original Message-----
From: misscraps@aol.com [mailto:misscr…@…com]
Sent: Wednesday, August 06, 2003 11:55 PM
To: vpFREE@yahoogroups.com
Subject: [vpFREE] Re: Las Vegas water crisis

There is definitely a water shortage potential in the Las Vegas area.
One
reason could be the incredibly low water rates. We only have been
paying about
$7 a month for water, including small amount of watering of our "desert
landscaped" front yard. While we don't wash as many dishes as we used
to in PA, we
do take more showers, wash more clothes, and never used to water the
yard at
all, so I'd say our water usage is at least the same, perhaps greater
than in
PA. In PA we paid at least double for water. The water authority has
announced
a "big" increase in water charges to try to cause people to use less.
The
result will be about $1-2 more per month for us so I don't see that as
doing a
lot.

Hopefully more people will take the sane approach of putting in desert
landscaping instead of watering lawns. One thing that bugs us is that
some people
water during the day when it is inefficient or have broken water
spiggots which
aren't actually watering anything other than the sidewalk. Such
behavior
should be reported to the water authority, especially now that there are
some new
regulations to help slow water usage.

[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

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#3

With all the rain in the east, why not build a water pipeline? Or, does desalinization work better?

···

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[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

#4

Nevada is landlocked and has no direct access to a
saltwater souce. Pipelines aren't a viable alternative
either since the cost of pumping water over the
rockies is a little high. In all honesty, Lake Mead is
a substantial source of fresh water, if used wisely.
People just need to realize that Las Vegas is in the
desert and therefore need to act accordingly. I
personallt won't worry about the water crisis until
the Belagio stops it's incredible fountains show and
water usage.

···

--- Les Silber <lesfromli@yahoo.com> wrote:

With all the rain in the east, why not build a water
pipeline? Or, does desalinization work better?

#5

I'm not sure I understand what you mean about Bellagio and the
fountains. I've heard other people say the same thing. Maybe I just
don't get it? That water is already in place and they don't add new
water do they? The water cycles thru the fountains, no?

Scot

···

-----Original Message-----
From: Jonathan Ashton [mailto:diversified_sl…@…com]
Sent: Thursday, August 07, 2003 5:16 PM
To: vpFREE@yahoogroups.com
Subject: RE: [vpFREE] Re: Las Vegas water crisis

Nevada is landlocked and has no direct access to a
saltwater souce. Pipelines aren't a viable alternative
either since the cost of pumping water over the
rockies is a little high. In all honesty, Lake Mead is
a substantial source of fresh water, if used wisely.
People just need to realize that Las Vegas is in the
desert and therefore need to act accordingly. I
personallt won't worry about the water crisis until
the Belagio stops it's incredible fountains show and
water usage.

--- Les Silber <lesfromli@yahoo.com> wrote:

With all the rain in the east, why not build a water
pipeline? Or, does desalinization work better?

vpFREE Links: http://tinyurl.com/a7ga

Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to
http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/

#6

From what I hear, the Belagio fountains lose around
400,000 gallons per day (in the summer) to
evaporation. I heard this from a supervisor from the
Bureau of Reclamation, Department of Interior. (The
dam people).

--- Scot Krause <krauseinvegas@worldnet.att.net>
wrote:

···

I'm not sure I understand what you mean about
Bellagio and the
fountains. I've heard other people say the same
thing. Maybe I just
don't get it? That water is already in place and
they don't add new
water do they? The water cycles thru the fountains,
no?

Scot

-----Original Message-----
From: Jonathan Ashton
[mailto:diversified_sl…@…com]
Sent: Thursday, August 07, 2003 5:16 PM
To: vpFREE@yahoogroups.com
Subject: RE: [vpFREE] Re: Las Vegas water crisis

Nevada is landlocked and has no direct access to a
saltwater souce. Pipelines aren't a viable
alternative
either since the cost of pumping water over the
rockies is a little high. In all honesty, Lake Mead
is
a substantial source of fresh water, if used wisely.
People just need to realize that Las Vegas is in the
desert and therefore need to act accordingly. I
personallt won't worry about the water crisis until
the Belagio stops it's incredible fountains show and
water usage.

--- Les Silber <lesfromli@yahoo.com> wrote:
> With all the rain in the east, why not build a
water
> pipeline? Or, does desalinization work better?

vpFREE Links: http://tinyurl.com/a7ga

Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to
http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/

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#7

The problem is that most of the water from lake mead
goes to california and arizona. Las Vegas was so
small at the time Hoover Dam was built that nevada
didn't fight very hard for a large share of the water.
I saw a show last night on the travel channel and it
said that the water park "wet & wild" loses 75% of its
water daily to evaporation! If that is accurate
then think about all of the pools either private or
hotel owned that are subject to evaporation in las
vegas. ( doubt that regular pools that dont have
water slides and such spraying or misting water would
reach a 75% daily evaporation rate but I am willing to
be they lose close to 20% dailty during the hot summer
months. Anyway, construction is still going strong in
las vegas with no signs of slowing down. I have to
believe that the federal goverment at some time in the
next few years is going to step in and give las vegas
some of the water that is going to california.
California is either going to have to either use
desalination for Los Angeles or do some water
conservation of its own.

···

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#8

Water in the arid West can be a very sacrid commodity. It's all
controlled by water rights agreements, most of which were inked many
decades ago. In much the same way someone pointed out that California
owns rights to much of the Lake Mead water, most of the water from my
state (Colo) where the Colorado River originates (from snowpack
melting) flows out of state and is owned by rights-owners in other
sates. It's frustrating seeing "our" water go elsewhere when we're in
drought conditions ourselves, but that's just the way it works.

Bottom line is that water is commodity, and money talks. That's why
many landowners (often ranchers) in the southern half of Nevada have
sold their water rights to Las Vegas. Some see that as a sad thing,
but if you're a rancher that is being offered way more money for your
water than for your livestock, why not?

There is a limited water supply in the West, but that doesn't mean Las
Vegas can't get their hands on more... for the right price.

Also, I believe recycled wastewater water is commonly used for
fountains and landscaping where people don't drink or swim in it. I
believe it's partially treated water - the stuff that runs down the
drain after use. But rather than going to water treatment plants for
expensive re-purifcation, it's partially treated onsite for reuse.
Not pure enough to use out of the tap, but clean enough to use for
lawn watering and stuff like that. Golf courses commonly use such water.

#9

I'm sure someone can enlighten us in as to how much of the water is evaporated in the air causing higher humidity. Is this what they are referring to ?

Linn

···

I'm not sure I understand what you mean about Bellagio and the

>fountains. I've heard other people say the same thing. Maybe I just
>don't get it? That water is already in place and they don't add new
>water do they? The water cycles thru the fountains, no?

>Scot

#10

The dryness of the air and the landscape in the desert
are not noticeably effected by the evaporation of the
water in and around Las Vegas. The amount of water
vapor in ratio to the amount of atmosphere in this
area is so small that a noticeable increase in
humidity will not ordinarily be felt or at least not
for long. Example: hot day, summer shower in Las
Vegas. A humid feeling is felt while in an area of
active evaporation but this soon disappears as the
water vapor disperses via convection currents or warm
wind. At some point the vapor will either run into a
barrier like mountains or drift over an area of
convergence like over the cold Pacific Ocean and
condense into a cloud mass and possibly produce either
rain or dew. God, am I boring.

···

--- Linn <lgreen1@maine.rr.com> wrote:

I'm sure someone can enlighten us in as to how much
of the water is
evaporated in the air causing higher humidity. Is
this what they are
referring to ?

Linn

>I'm not sure I understand what you mean about
Bellagio and the
>fountains. I've heard other people say the same
thing. Maybe I just
>don't get it? That water is already in place and
they don't add new
>water do they? The water cycles thru the
fountains, no?

>Scot

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#11

( doubt that regular pools that dont have

water slides and such spraying or misting water would
reach a 75% daily evaporation rate but I am willing to
be they lose close to 20% dailty during the hot summer
months.

Nah. Our pool loses about an inch or two a day in the summer.