Strategic Plan to Address Growth in Southern Nevada

WATER QUALITY/WASTEWATER

Lake Mead, Las Vegas’ primary drinking water source, is the receiving body for the Las Vegas watershed via the Las Vegas Wash and Bay. Potential degradation of Southern Nevada’s water quality from urban runoff, storm water runoff, ground water seepage, and increased flows of treated wastewater is of great concern. The Authority has addressed drinking water quality in the Water Supply/ Distribution chapter with storm water covered through the Flood Control chapter.

This chapter focuses on the water quality of urban runoff, wastewater, and ground water. Southern Nevadans continue to pursue resolution of water quality issues as evidenced by the creation of Southern Nevada Water Authority’s (SNWA) Citizens Advisory Committee on Ground Water Management, SNWA Water Quality Citizens Advisory Committee, and the Lake Mead Water Quality Forum. Over the past two years, these citizen groups have provided significant recommendations to address the water quality issues facing Southern Nevada. Additionally, the three primary wastewater dischargers (the City of Henderson, the City of Las Vegas, and the Clark County Sanitation District) formed a partnership to focus on issues related to wastewater treatment needs and alternatives to treatment and water quality protection from a regional perspective.

With respect to regulatory programs, Section 208 of the Clean Water Act requires that all activities associated with water pollution problems be planned and managed through an integrated area-wide water quality management program. The 208 Plan is a 20-year management plan.

The Authority has identified a need for 256 million gallons per day (MGD) of wastewater treatment system capacity by 2018 (the current capacity is 165 MGD). Local wastewater agencies are at various levels of planning and construction to expand facilities, and all agencies project their ability to meet the future demand. Financing of new facilities is currently by bond revenues and sewer connection fees. New needed facilities can be funded adequately through regular, significant increases to charges and fees. However, additional stable funding sources are desirable in constructing, operating, and maintaining new facilities, as well as to fund, yet to be identified, water quality related projects. The quarter cent sales tax is such a funding option. Implementation of this sales tax will generate a projected $2.3 billion for facility construction (both water and wastewater), which will help prevent extraordinarily high connection charges and moderate increases in sewer fees.

With implementation of the Authority’s Strategic Plan, opportunities will be created enabling Southern Nevada to improve coordination of wastewater, ground water, and urban runoff water quality activities, including issues related to the Las Vegas Wash and Las Vegas Watershed.

Goal 1: Promote water quality programs which protect health and the environment.

OBJECTIVES	STRATEGIES
A. Meet all Federal, State and local water quality regulation’s	1. Update and implement 208 Water Quality Management Plan Amendments.
B. Increase regional coordination of watershed management activities.	1. Create a watershed basin management forum to address regional water quality issues. 2. Pursue recommendations of the Citizens Advisory Committee on Ground Water Management. 3. Explore reliable funding to address water quality plans/projects.
C. Improve the management of and water quality in the Las Vegas Wash, Las Vegas Bay, and Lake Mead.	1. Pursue the recommendations of the SNWA Water Quality Citizens Advisory Committee, particularly the development of a comprehensive management plan for the Las Vegas Wash, coordinated by SNWA. 2. Support the Lake Mead Water Quality Forum. 3. Encourage further water quality consensus building regarding the Las Vegas Wash, Las Vegas Bay, and Lake Mead.
D. Provide facilities to meet wastewater collection, treatment and discharge standards.	1. Build a consensus among the local wastewater agencies to regionally plan facilities, service rules and policies coordinated through the Sewer and Wastewater Advisory Committee (SWAC). 2. Maintain reliable sources of funding for construction, operation, and maintenance of facilities. 3. Implement the quarter cent sales tax option proposal as approved by the voters on November 3, 1998. 4. Evaluate wastewater discharge alternatives other than the Las Vegas Wash through the Las Vegas Wash management plan process being coordinated by the SNWA. 5. Develop a regional water reuse plan which involves all appropriate local water reuse entities.