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Las Ysgaa Review-Journal * October 12, 1949 Meters for Water Seen In Las Vegas ? ? ? ? Conserving Not Enough, Experts Say Conservation immediately, meters eventually! This was the concensus yes­terday as representatives of var­ious interested groups discussed the critical water shortage in Las Vegas valley. , William, Reinhardt, vice presi­dent of Las Vegas Land and Water company, told the group that only through rigid economy in the use of water could the present underground reservoir be expected to take care of the community during the next three years. “ Beyond that, there definitely won’t be enough water to meet the demand,” he declared. City : Commissioner William I Peccole urged that the water company undertake an immedi­ate survey of all users in the city to determine whether or not city ordinances designed to pre­vent water wastage were being complied with, both as to equip­ment and usage._ Mayor E. W. uragm pre­viously had pointed out that in conferences on the subject both city and water company officials had agreed the existing ordi­nances were ample to ac­complish the purpose, and Pec­cole expressed the belief that all equipment using water be in­spected as soon as possible to determine whether it is in con­formity. Reinhardt said he thought the company could undertake this task if the city would go along in providing the necessary back-j ing, ? -i3 r “ After all, we have ho au­thority to make such inspec­tions; that lies only in the city under its ordinances,” he de­clared. Cragin and ..members of the city board present assured Rein­hardt o f /complete cooperation, and indications were that the survey would ,be made in the near future. Company officials estimated that a 25 per cent saving could be anticipated without seriously affecting the water users of the community. This, they declared, would get the water system over the hump next summer. The matter of meters was dis­cussed several times during the session, and the opinion was rather generally expressed that the water district could not hope to accomplish its objective of assuring L-a s Vegas’ future growth b y bringing water in from . Lake Mead without addi­tional revenue. Harry Miller, chairman of the board of directors, of the dis­trict, said there had been dis­cussion as to two methods of securing this revenue, one being through a sizeable raise in the present rate structure and the other through installation of wa­ter meters. State Engineer A. M. Smith declared that he and his associ­ates had for a number of years been fully aware of the local water situation and the need for adopting measures to curtail the waste of water if Las Vegas val­ley is to continue its anticipated growth. He said further that experi­ence had proven that the only (Continued On Page 15) satisfactory method of curtail­ing such waste was through the installation of meters. Smith upheld the findings of the water company and emphat­ically stated that even though strict curtailment was exercised, it was his opinion that present water sources would be adequate only for a short period and that in the very near future it would be necessary to obtain an ad­ditional source of water. “ It is quite obvious tbat the only source available is Lake Mead,” he concluded. Following the meeting Chair­man George Allard of the pub­lic service commission said a complete report would be made shortly setting forth the com­mission’s findings and recom­mendations. r*I 1 gft naibV;Jt { if i0 a vn1 a' I1ai