SNWA
introduces Drought Plan
March
11, 2003
The
Southern Nevada Water Authority (SNWA) and its member agencies
take steps to educate the community and encourage conservation
as Southern Nevada experiences its fourth year of drought.
The
SNWA introduced its Drought Plan at public meetings in response
to drought conditions experienced throughout the western United
States. In Southern Nevada, Lake Mead has dropped 60 feet in
the last two years due to greatly reduced snowpack in the Rocky
Mountains, the water source of the Colorado River. In Southern
Nevada, 85 percent of the water we use comes from the Colorado
River.
The Drought Plan was developed by the SNWA and its member agencies
with input from more than 100 stakeholders at meetings including
homeowners, golf courses, landscapers, developers and businesses.
The Drought Plan outlines three phases of drought conditions:
- Drought
Watch
- Drought
Alert
- Drought
Emergency
Each
phase is determined by the level of Lake Mead and consists of
increasingly stringent conservation measures. The first phase,
Drought Watch, may be in place as early as this summer. In addition,
the SNWA plans to:
Launch a comprehensive public education campaign consisting
of advertising, events, articles and other communications in
March
Appoint a citizens advisory committee this spring to address
conservation and drought as well as recommend conservation measures
for the Drought Emergency phase.
Each board of the seven SNWA member agencies will consider the
Drought Plan at one of their public meetings this spring. The
Drought Plan will serve as the blueprint for Southern Nevada
water providers.
Water providers will handle enforcement in their respective
communities. The SNWA encourages voluntary compliance from the
community.
In accordance with the Drought Plan, new developments will be
restricted in the use of grass for new homes and commercial
businesses. Homeowners with existing grass will not be required
to remove it but will be offered increased incentives to convert
to water efficient landscaping.
If you have questions related to the
drought or the Drought Plan contact SNWA's Public Information
Hotline at 258-3930. Or visit
www.snwa.com
for more information.
