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9. Levy and Collection of T axes: So far as possible, principal and interest on the bonds must be paid from revenues. However, it is the duty of the Board of Directors annually to t provide for the levy of taxes, if necessary to supplement other income and revenues, to assure] prompt payment of principal and interest as they fall due (Sec. 11). Expense Estim ates: For many years records of water withdrawals from the Las Vegas Valley ground water basin have been kept by the State Engineer of Nevada and the present and future water consumption in the Las Vegas Valley W ater District has been the subject of studies by Greeley & Hansen in 1949, Ralph W . O’Neill & James M. Montgomery in 1951-52, James M. Montgomery in 1954, and Black & Veatch in 1954. The per capita consumption of record, together with the anticipated population increases, form the basis for estimating future water requirements and costs. W A T E R CONSUMPTION — LAS VEGAS LAND AND W A T E R COMPANY C IT Y O F LAS VEGAS Consumption in Million Gallons Daily Yearly Totals Average Maximum Month Minimum Month M . G . Acre Feet 1940........................................... 3.33 5.75 0.99 1,217 3,736 1941........................................... 4.07 5.85 1.91 1,485 4,556 1942........................ .................. 3.99 6.44 2.64 1,458 4,475 1943........................ .................. 5.18 7.82 2.86 1,892 5,805 1944........................ .................. 5.90 9.50 3.09 2,158 6,622 1945........................ 6.28 9.65 3.78 2,292 7,033 1946........................................... 7.62 13.78 4.18 2,781 8,533 1947........................................... 8.74 13.90 4.47 3,189 9,786 1948....................... ................... 9.31 14.40 5.27 3,408 10,460 1949....................... ................... 9.70 15.03 4.73 3,541 10,868 1950....................... ................... 9.51 13.48 5.86 3,472 10,655 1951....................... ................... 9.91 16.22 5.53 3,618 11,103 1952....................... ................... 10.44 * * 3,820 11,722 ? N o t reported. The water consumption for 1953 is estimated at 13.36 million gallons daily, a total of about 4,860 million gallons or 14,969 acre feet. The peak day was June 30, 1953 with 19.75 m.g., and the all-time peak month of June 1953 averaged 16.80 m.g.d. The average daily consumption, based on an average 1953 population of 36,100, was 370 gallons per capita. The future service population has been estimated by Greeley & Hansen and James M. Montgomery by bringing the Las Vegas City census of 1950 up to date with the use of building permits, mail carrier stops, water customer, electrical services, and registered voter records, projecting a growth curve, and modifying the curve by comparisons with growth patterns of nine similar cities (Phoenix and Tucson, Arizona; Albuquerque, New Mexico; Beaumont, T exas; Bakersfield, Fresno, San Bernardino and Stockton, California; and Ogden, Utah) in the south and southwest. While no direct comparison can be made between Las Vegas and any other city in the United States, cities with widely varying basic industries tend to exhibit similar growing charac­teristics. Most communities in the arid sections of the west have grown phenomenally since the development of air conditioning. It is felt that Las Vegas has the elements necessary for continued growth including climate, industry, water, power, marketing area and recreation. . 13 Building permits for the construction of family dwelling units, as issued by the City Building Inspector, are a quite accurate indication of the population increase. The increases below are based on an estimated average of 3.2 persons per family dwelling unit. Permits for Family Estimated Year Dwelling Units Population Increase 1950.. ..:.--------------- 855 2,740 1951.. .:,........................................... ....................................... „...¥... 816 2,600 1952 ................................................................................................. 1,110 3,550 1953 .................................... 2,650 8,480 S 17,370 1950 Census_..^*4 ^ ,......................... ............................... ........ 24,624 41,994 L e ss: Adjustment for date of 1950 Census (April 1 )...... 684 Estimated Population January 1, 1954.................................. 41,310 The actual population would, of course, be somewhat less than 41,000 because all of the dwelling units authorized in 1953 would not be completed and occupied by January, 1954. How­ever, water charges begin when the service is installed and the flat rate is calculated. This is done at the start of construction. Population estimates have recently been made by others as follows: 1. Las Vegas school enrollment February 15, 1953, was 8,485. In ratio to 1950’s popula­tion and school enrollment, Las Vegas population as of that date would be 37,422. 2. Las Vegas garbage pick-up accounts in February 1953 were 7,221, which in ratio would place the population at 38,632. 3. The Southern Nevada Power Company metered accounts were 15,763 in February 1953 which in ratio would place the population at 31,842. The average of these three population estimates would be 35,965 as of February 1953. At least 6.000 have been added to the population since that date. It is felt, therefore, that an estimate based on building permits would be reasonably accurate. In estimating future populations, Greeley & Hansen plotted the growth curve of the Las Vegas urban area to the 1948 estimate of 31,300. Continuing the growth curves of the other cities compared from the Las Vegas 1948 figure, it was found that the probable maximum population in 1970 would be 70,000,- and The. minimum 51,000. _Between the dates of the Greeley & Hansen and the Montgomery reports, the growth of Las Vegas has been particularly rapid. Several annexations have increased the area from 14 square miles in 1948 to about 18 square miles in 1953. The Montgomery report continued the city of Las Vegas 1950-53 trend to 1955, reaching 46,000 in that year, and then, for the sake of conservatism assumed that the 1940-1950 rate of growth would prevail thereafter. This method produces a projected population of 55,000 in 1960 and 71.000 in 1970, after which the increase is estimated to be 10,000 per decade. In spite of the possibility of extremely rapid future growth it was felt that the water utility income and bond retirement calculations should be based on conservative figures. The final calculation of the service population, Las Vegas plus 10%, shows a population of 50,600 in 1955, 60,500 in 1960, and 78,100 in 1970, with an increase of 11,000 per decade thereafter. 14