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SNWA defends community's conservation efforts

More than 155 million square feet of
grass has been removed in Southern
Nevada through the Water Smart
Landscapes Rebate programs.

In response to an Oakland, Calif.-based organization’s criticism of the Las Vegas Valley’s ongoing water conservation efforts, an attorney for the Southern Nevada Water Authority (SNWA) questioned a report by the Pacific Institute that criticized Southern Nevada’s efforts to reduce water use - initiatives that already have yielded a 30 percent reduction in per capita water use.

Following direct testimony by Pacific Institute President Peter Gleick, in which he claimed Southern Nevada’s conservation efforts were “weak and inadequate,” attorney Steve Sims identified numerous areas in which the institute’s report, “Hidden Oasis: Water Conservation and Efficiency in Las Vegas” grossly overstated additional potential water resources that may be gleaned through additional conservation.

The report was prepared by the advocacy organization at the request of an activist group opposing the SNWA’s applications for renewable, unused groundwater in east-central Nevada. Interestingly, under questioning, Gleick - a co-author of the report - conceded that he had not even looked at the SNWA water conservation plan he criticized in testimony.

“The Southern Nevada Water Authority has clearly demonstrated its commitment to water conservation, but this group had an obvious agenda in opposition to the SNWA’s applications and misused water use information to suit its pre-determined conclusions. It isn’t fair or reasonable to criticize the residents of the Las Vegas Valley, who have been exceptionally committed to conservation,” said SNWA Environmental Resources Director Zane Marshall.

Among the more egregious errors in the report, which was based largely on data from 2004, was the treatment of indoor water as a consumptive use. Unlike most metropolitan areas in the United States, the Las Vegas Valley captures and recovers virtually every drop of water used indoors.

Therefore, while there are a number of benefits to be derived from low-flow showerheads and other fixtures, indoor water savings do not in any way extend the community’s water supply. The report also attempted to compare Las Vegas’ water use to other cities, including Seattle, Wash., with no attempt to adjust for annual rainfall, temperature or other key climatic factors.