Leading Conservation: Nevada

As water levels at Lake Mead continue to decline, Southwestern states begin to focus on water conservation efforts. From advanced reclamation systems to water-conscious citizens, Nevada consistently leads in Conservation efforts for the past twenty years. 

Nevada maintains its record low usage due to its strict laws and countless regulations. The Southern Nevada Water Authority (SNWA) implements a four-tiered water usage system where households receive a water bill corresponding to their water usage. The size of the bill exponentially increases with increased water usage, and an excess usage threshold dependent on the season also presides. When exceeded, the water bill of the violating household dramatically increases. 

SNWA encourages the smart use of water through numerous programs, one of the most prominent being the Water Smart Landscapes Rebate Program. “[The program] began in 1999 and currently pays property owners $3 per square foot to replace grass landscaping with drip-irrigated trees and plants,” Bronson Mack, SNWA’s Public Outreach Manager, shared. “Since the start of the program, more than 200 million square feet of grass (enough grass to wrap a strip of sod around the circumference of the Earth) has been removed and replaced with water smart landscaping.”

In addition to innovative laws and programs, SNWA maintains an advanced water reclamation system. Remarkably, Nevada manages to recycle close to 40 percent of all waterusage, an unprecedented amount in the Southwest. The water obtained from this recycling process gets primarily used in outdoor settings, such as watering yards, parks, and golf courses. Clark County School District works with SNWA to replace grass on many campuses with artificial turf. It takes a significant amount of water to keep grass healthy in the Mojave desert, nearly 78 gallons per square foot, annually. The large-scale transition from grass to artificial turf results in enormous savings in water. Not only does this benefit the environment, but it may also benefit student athletes. “The biggest impact the conversion has had for athletes is one of safety. The fields are all uniform and are in great shape and athletes no longer have to worry about uneven ground [or stepping in potholes]” Sierra Vista’s athletic coordinator Mr. Rickards said. Despite Nevada’s tremendous population growth, its water usage continues to steadily decline. Regardless, Nevadans must not become complacent since nearly 25 million Americans, as well as, California’s booming agriculture industry depend on Lake Mead water.