Las Vegas Valley Water District Issues

The Las Vegas Valley Water District (LVVWD) serves more than one million people and 38 million visitors annually. The Water District has several major initiatives, including using technology to prevent and find leaks in the distribution system, the historic Springs Preserve cultural site and a Water Waste Team that helps curb inefficient outdoor water use.

Springs Preserve

Before the glitz and glamour, Las Vegas was the site of historic springs that fed native Americans and European explorers. On the Water District property, natural springs once forcefully bubbled to the surface, creating a grassy oasis. The green meadows that dotted the desert floor inspired Mexican explorers to name the city Las Vegas, meaning "The Meadows" in Spanish.

As the site's owner and steward, LVVWD is working with the Springs Preserve Foundation to protect the area and create a community gathering place—a gateway through time where people can learn about the valley's rich history and explore methods to ensure sustainability for the future.
When it opens in 2007, the Springs Preserve will include museums, gardens, walking trails and restored structures that recreate the story of Las Vegas' past.

Water Waste

In Las Vegas, residential water customers can use 70 percent of their drinking water outdoors on their landscapes and up to 90 percent in the hot, summer months. Often times, this water is wasted through inefficient irrigation practices. LVVWD employs a team of water waste investigators who respond to reports and comb neighborhoods for wasteful watering practices. Customers who are cited are given an opportunity to correct the problem. The goal is to educate the public and change water wasting behaviors. If water waste continues to occur, however, customers may receive a water waste fee on their water bill.

Leak Detection

With more than 3,000 miles of pipe, locating leaks in the Water District's distribution system can be a daunting task. To prevent leaks, LVVWD is employing technology to proactively locate even the smallest leaks.

Since 2004, LVVWD has deployed more than 8,000 leak detection units within the Water District's service area. The devices record sustained sounds or vibrations that may be caused by water seeping from the system. LVVWD crews patrolling the valley collect the data to help identify suspected leaks, which are then pinpointed with additional listening equipment.

LVVWD was the first municipal water agency in the United States to employ this technology. In 2004 and 2005, the leak detection program saved about 552 acre-feet of water.

Automated Meter Reading

To improve organizational efficiency, LVVWD has installed more than 315,000 Firefly automated meters in its service area. The Firefly units allow one meter reader to read approximately 8,000 meters in one day compared to about 500 meters read manually. In addition, the units store 74 weeks of water usage data, allowing LVVWD staff to determine usage trends.

Facility Advanced Asset Management

LVVWD began a long-term program to manage its water delivery assets in 2003. Advanced asset management employs predictive modeling, risk management, and optimized decision-making techniques to establish asset lifecycle replacement options and related long-term cost predictions.

The LVVWD asset management program focuses on ensuring existing water delivery facilities achieve an optimized life span and are replaced according to a plan and schedule.

Implementing the program is expected to cost about $1 million per year, but it is expected to provide a $53 million per year value to the Water District.