Water rates are going up.
Rate payers will see an increase in their water bills after the Southern Nevada Water Authority agreed Wednesday to press ahead with a $650 million pumping station at Lake Mead.
The rate hike was recommended by an advisory committee a few weeks ago.
The increase for the average homeowner could be anywhere from $2.50 to $5 a month. Businesses will pay more.
The SNWA says the new station will be insurance if the lake’s water level continues to drop.
County Commissioner Mary Beth Scow told KNPR’s State of Nevada that the lake is now just 85 feet above the lowest pump. She also said the lake level could drop below 1,000 feet.
The newest intake into Lake Mead, commonly known as the third straw, finally broke through the concrete at the bottom of lake. Scow said the new pumping station will be needed to move the water brought up from the third straw to the Las Vegas valley.
She said construction on the pumping station will start in a few months and take five years to finish.
The rate hike must still be approved by the different jurisdictions that are part of SNWA that part of the process is expected to be finished by February and the actual change in water bills could be in place by the spring.
Scow doesn’t think there necessarily has to be restrictions on growth because of the valley’s continuing drought at this point, but does believe watching growth is vital.
“We need to watch were we are and ensure that we’re not on a line that will take us beyond the water we know we have for the next 20 years,” Scow said.
Guests:
Mary Beth Scow, commissioner, Clark County Commission
Copyright 2015 KNPR-FM. To see more, visit http://www.knpr.org/.
