Monday, Sept. 12, 2022 | 2 a.m.
As soon as the U.S. Department of the Interior last month announced that Nevada would lose 8% of its water allotment from the Colorado River next year amid the continuing drought, officials with the Southern Nevada Water Authority started fielding questions from concerned residents.
And with those questions came some inaccurate finger-pointing about the water situation — namely that California is using our water; same with casinos on the resort corridor.
The authority last week, in an ongoing video series to bring educational awareness for conservation, addressed those concerns. It’s one of about 12 videos it has done in recent years, stressing that the water supply here — especially with continued conservation — is secure.
Host Jon Castagnino opens the three-minute video posted on Twitter and other social media channels with screen grabs of complaints. They are: “Stop the building. Stop the golf course. Stop the resorts; we don’t have the water.”
The spot proceeds to dispel those claims, starting with the notion that California is stealing Nevada’s water supply. Castagnino explains that Lake Mead is less than 30% full from 20 years of overdrawing the Colorado River during the drought, but stresses that California — like Nevada — is using what’s legally allocated.
He stresses, “we are doing less with more, so conservation is critical.”
Water conservation efforts
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- For second consecutive year, feds order Lake Mead water cuts to Nevada, Arizona
- CCSD switch to synthetic turf on football fields saving millions of gallons of water
Bronson Mack, the public information officer for the Southern Nevada Water Authority, said much thought goes into the messaging of the videos to “dispel myths.” The authority also has a monthly Water Smarts Podcast featuring conservation leaders.
Mack said the videos are helpful to educate the community so residents are more prepared to conserve water and have a higher awareness. Ultimately, he said, that translates into behavior — such as changing the watering schedule for sprinklers to align with SNWA guidelines.
The effect of Nevada’s reductions will be mitigated because Southern Nevada is a leader in conservation and doesn’t use its full annual allocation from Lake Mead.
“Residents feel they are doing a lot in the world of conservation,” Mack said. “It’s important for us to let residents understand they aren’t the only ones contributing to our success. It’s every sector of our community.”
One myth addressed in the most recent video addresses the usage by casinos, including a picture of the Bellagio outdoor fountain attraction — one of the notable, and free, things to do in town.
And the good news is that no water from the Colorado River is used. Rather, it comes from a private well owned by the resort.
This screenshot is taken from videos in the Southern Nevada Water Authority’s series that feature host Jon Castagnino and address commonly held but incorrect views about water use in the Las Vegas Valley.
The video also addresses questions about the valley’s new home construction, where an average of 11,000 homes a year have been built since 2018. The video explains how water used indoors that goes down a drain is recycled and doesn’t count against the allotment.
But, the video notes, 60% of the allocated water used in Southern Nevada goes toward outdoor water, and new homes aren’t allowed to have grass.
Castagnino says the water authority has “no jurisdiction with construction, but we do know the facts.”
The videos have also become a landing spot for residents to make comments — and for the water authority to continue with its work dispelling myths. In the Twitter post of the most recent video explaining how indoor water is recycled, one social media user asked, “So I can still take my 30 min showers?”
The water authority, in keeping with its educational theme, responded, “that seems excessive, but who are we to judge? And thanks to nearly all water used indoors in Southern Nevada being recaptured, treated and returned to the Colorado River for credit, we don’t have to. Your 30-min showers have little to no impact on our water supply.”
Mack said the authority is preparing a television campaign, “Let’s Get Real,” that will explain some of what’s happening with the low water levels at Lake Mead and stress conservation. For instance, residents on Sept. 1 should have adjusted their watering clock to the fall schedule, in which through Oct. 31, residences are assigned three weekly watering days.
For some in Southern Nevada, conserving water has become second nature. But others need a friendly reminder, and ultimately, that’s why the videos and other messaging have become so vital to the water authority, Mack said.
“It’s not a big ask of the community,” he said of the quarterly task of changing the water clocks. “But it does require everybody to stop for a moment.”
