How to Conserve Water in the Las Vegas Water Shortage

Thanks to years of little rainfall and rampant growth, Southern Nevada is facing a crisis: we’re running out of water. The Colorado River and Lake Mead are down to historically low levels, and that has placed a huge strain on the reserves we have in the Las Vegas area. Southern Nevada’s water supply will fall by a full seven percent next year, and that means nearly seven billion gallons of water will no longer be accessible.

What does that mean for our community as a whole? It means that if we want to avoid the shortage reaching catastrophic levels, everyone is going to have to do their part to cut back. As such, the city of Henderson has imposed some significant new water restrictions that are effective immediately. Likewise, the city is also encouraging residents to report water waste and imposing significant fines on those who violate these new restrictions.

Are you looking for ways to reduce your water consumption? Here are a few suggestions for how you can use less water and do your part to keep our city stocked with this precious resource in the midst of severe drought conditions.

Follow All Mandatory Seasonal Watering Restrictions

Keeping our landscapes happy is one of the biggest sources of water consumption, but it’s also a huge source of water waste. Thus, during periods of the year where our landscapes don’t need as much water as they do during the heat of summer, the city of Henderson has implemented heavy restrictions on when you are allowed to run your irrigation systems.

• From Sept. 1^st through Oct. 31^st: Residents are permitted to water three days a week, provided that none of those days fall on a Sunday.
• From Nov. 1^st through Feb. 28^th: Residents are permitted to water one day a week, provided that day does not fall on a Sunday.
• Residents are forbidden from watering on Sundays at any time of the year.

This may seem like a heavy restriction, but reduced temperatures and shorter daylight hours mean lawns and plants alike both lose less water due to the heat of the day. That means the average landscape doesn’t need as much water, and making a simple adjustment will save you quite a bit. In fact, changing your watering clock these four times a year can save you up to $300!

Install a Water-Smart Landscape

What better way to save water than to do away with water-consuming landscaping? When you don’t have to water, you won’t have to pay for that water, and that’s a stress relief on your pocketbook. And believe it or not, there’s a cash incentive in it for you as well.

The Southern Nevada Water Authority is offering a program with a cash incentive for those who install water-smart landscaping. Eligible installations can receive up to $3 per square foot. That means not only will you save on your water bill, but you’ll also receive a pretty sizeable cash boost for doing away with grass and replacing it with rocks, gravel, or other desert-friendly features.

Fix Leaks & Water-Wasting

Water waste doesn’t only happen with landscaping. In fact, a huge source of water waste might be right in your own home without you realizing it. That dripping faucet, trickling toilet, or leaking water heater is costing you money—potentially to the tune of hundreds or even thousands of gallons of water per year. Fixing leaks can go a long, long way toward preventing unwanted water loss and saving you money.

Many leaks are actually remarkably easy to fix. For example, a trickling toilet might be something as trivial as a worn-out flapper, and those can be fixed in a few minutes with a simple part that is available at almost any hardware store or home improvement warehouse. Taking the time to fix these leaks not only prevents wear and tear on your property, but could make a huge difference when it comes to helping our community save the water that we so desperately need.