Southern Nevada Water Authority has a lot more homework to do

Jim Scott, Las Vegas

Sunday, July 6, 2008 | 2:05 a.m.

I have lived in Las Vegas since 1985 and now, as a retired engineer, I have to say I find the mode of operation of the Clark County Commission and the Southern Nevada Water Authority appalling and unprofessional.

There is no understanding of how to evaluate large projects or how to manage them. Pat Mulroy’s refusal to conduct a project evaluation of her waterline versus desalinization is unacceptable or worse. Where does she get off deciding the current population wants continued growth and that these same people want to pay for her waterline? Consider:

• This whole scheme is based on a population “projection” prepared by the UNLV Business School. Based on what criteria? Does the projection represent the Water Authority’s water supply area or the whole of Clark County? Does it reflect highway and air quality constraints? What is its range of accuracy — plus or minus 50 percent?

• Is the scheme even economically feasible? Will anyone be able to afford the water when it gets to Las Vegas? Is there a minimum volume of water required to break even or a point of no return?

• Do Ms. Mulroy and the Clark County Commission understand the “Great Basin Aquifer” is affected by the same drought that is affecting Lake Mead? Or to put it another way: If the water is not there, she will have wasted a lot of time and taxpayer money, but I am sure she will be retired by the time we find that out.

How can a project of this magnitude and cost go ahead without electorate approval as is required, for example, by the Clark County School District? The Southern Nevada Water Authority has a blank check!

Congratulations to the Las Vegas Sun and Emily Green for a superb series of articles.