Related Information
Southern Nevada Water Authority
1900 East Flamingo Road
Las Vegas, NV 89119
(702) 258-3930
Patricia Mulroy, General Manager
Las Vegas Valley water agencies formed the Southern Nevada Water Authority (SNWA) in 1991 to address Southern Nevada's unique water needs on a regional basis. The Water Authority is committed to managing the region's water resources and developing solutions that will ensure adequate future water supplies for the Las Vegas Valley.
Member Agencies
SNWA is governed by a seven-member agency comprised of representatives from each of its member organizations. SNWA member agencies work together through a consensus-driven organization to identify and implement sustainable solutions for water issues in an arid desert.
SNWA member agencies are:
- Big Bend Water District
- City of Boulder City
- City of Henderson
- City of Las Vegas
- City of North Las Vegas
- Clark County Water Reclamation District
- Las Vegas Valley Water District
Mission
SNWA's mission is to manage the region's water resources and develop solutions that will ensure adequate future water supplies for the Las Vegas Valley.
Goals
- Managing all water supplies available to Southern Nevada through an approved water budget
- Managing regional water resource management and conservation programs
- Ensuring regional water quality as determined by state and federal standards
- Allocating and distributing among water purveyors Colorado River water and any other water that becomes available to Southern Nevada
- Long-term water resource planning
- Presenting a unified position on water issues facing Southern Nevada
- Building and operating regional facilities to provide a reliable drinking water delivery system to all member agencies
Sustainable practices
SNWA embraces the ethic of environmental responsibility and is committed to complying with all applicable federal and state environmental requirements. SNWA participates in initiatives that extend far beyond compliance requirements.
Through staff time, grants and other considerations, SNWA has invested more than $10 million and thousands of staff hours in programs and activities directly related to environmental protection. Specifically related to endangered species, SNWA has actively supported research related to federally endangered fish. This research was not required for project compliance, but was conducted because it is central to SNWA's environmental ethic and it provides the basis for scientifically sound decisions.
SNWA also is a lead agency involved in protecting and restoring the Las Vegas Wash, the primary channel through which excess water returns to Lake Mead, Southern Nevada's main water source.
In its efforts to best use its limited water resources, SNWA has implemented one of the most aggressive and comprehensive water conservation programs in the country. SNWA has implemented a strategy that concentrates on consumer education and community outreach, customer programs, financial incentive rebates and code enforcement.
The Water Authority is a leader in resource management. It conducted an integrated water planning (IWP) process in 2005-2005 to examine conservation goals and plans to accelerate development of in-state water resources in response to drought conditions in the Colorado River basin. SNWA has developed a Water Resource Plan, which outlines strategies and a portfolio of resources that may be used to meet future water demands. The plan is reviewed and approved annually by the Board of Directors.
For more information, visit snwa.com.