DROUGHT IN SOUTHERN NEVADA

A water shortage is forcing fast-growing southern Nevada to plan price hikes and cut deals with other states, but officials say the biggest hurdle may be curbing water use in a city known for its excess (AP 1).

The regional water authority has launched a $1.3 million conservation drive in response to a drought that has Lake Mead at two-thirds of its capacity. The lake on the Colorado River can fill most of the region's water needs for another two years but is low enough to spark concern, scientists and officials said. "'This is the worst drought ever since they recorded water flows on the river,' said Pat Mulroy, general manager of the Southern Nevada Water Authority.' But we live in a state of virtual reality in this town'" (AP 2). The virtual reality seems to come with water rate hikes. In 2003, "the Clark County Commissionàvoted to increase water rates an average of 29 percent" (Review-Journal 8). The way the plan will work is that those households using the most water will have to pay the largest increases. Obviously, the idea is to cut water consumption both by commercial and residential buildings.

Proof of the drought can be found in the fact that Lake Mead, which supplies th

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. So, despite the relaxation of some restrictions, which proved to be the most popular, the SNWA still maintains some strict rules which it enforces vigorously. For example, according to SNWA's home page (snwa.com), sprinkler watering is restricted to assigned watering days only. Time-of-Day restrictions are in effect May 1 until Oct. 1. Sprinkler watering is prohibited from 11 AM to 7 PM during these months. Planting of cool-season grasses, such as Tall Fescue, is prohibited May 1 through August 31. Grass is restricted or prohibited in new residential front yards where building permits were issued after Jan. 1, 2004. Turf is also restricted at commercial and multi-family developments. Even golf courses now have specific water budgets. Despite some public grumbling, in general the restrictions are being observed. However, the SNWA has personnel checking neighborhoods, public parks and golf courses for any violations. According to Rogers: Violators who don't heed warning tickets from water-waste investigatorsà.face fines of about $12 assessed to their bills. The fine is more than $14 for a second violation. The proposed changes would increase those fines respectively to $20 and $40, or as much as $30 for a fifth violation (R
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Approximate Pages = 6 (250 words per page)

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