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5 III. PRESENT OPERATIONS 1. Extent of Service The water distribution system of the Las Vegas Land and Water Company is operated under a fifty-year franchise granted by the City of Las Vegas on February 21, 1930. By this franchise the Water Utility, for the purpose of supplying water to the city’s inhabitants, is given permission to install and maintain water pipe lines in the streets and other public thoroughfares in the City of Las Vegas as existed on the effective date of the franchise and in all additions, tracts and sub­divisions thereafter added, laid out or subdivided. Numerous small water systems from time to time have been con­structed in connection with subdivision developments in Las Vegas, us­ing ground water from artesian or pumped wells located on the sub­- ­division properties. These small independent water projects, have not proven satisfactory. Through their acquisition and extension of its own system the Las Vegas Land and Water Company now serves, with minor exceptions, the entire city of Las Vegas. 2. Growth \ In the last ten years the population of Las Vegas has tripled and, as virtually the sole public supplier of water within the city the Water Utility has successfully met increased demands with plant expansion and improvements. Illustrative of the growth of Las Vegas are the following statistics: u Population 1910 - 800 1946 - 21,800 1920 - 2,304 1947 - 22,500 1930 - 5,165 1948 - 23,300 1940 - 8,422 1949 - 24,200 1945 - 2 1,0 0 0 1950 - 24^417 (April 1st) 25,000v (Dec. 31st) 1/ Source: Federal census, 1910-1920-1930-1940-1950 (April 1st) Others LVL&WCo. estimates