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X #4 - Honorable Board of Directors - 10/20/55 An examination of the Las Vegas Valley Water District Act quickly reveals that one of the principal purposes and functions of the District is the conservation of water and the elimination of water waste. The title of the Act recites that the Act is "to provide for the conservation of the ground-water resources of the Las Vegas valley". Section 1, sub-paragraph 6 , provides, among other things, that the water district was created for the following objects and purposes: ". . . t o conserve and reclaim water for present and future use within the district; . . . to conserve same within the district, for any useful purpose to the district; . . . to assume the costs and expenses of any action or proceeding . . . involving the waste­ful use of water therein; . . . to prevent interference with or diminution of [water] . . . " Section 9 of the Act provides that the Board of Directors of the District shall have power " . . . to establish by-laws, rules, and regulations for the distribution and use of water in the district." The foregoing excerpts make it amply clear that the Legislature intended to authorize the Board of Directors of the District to adopt any reasonable measures necessary to conserve the supply of water within the District. In pursuance of the statutory mandate, the Board of Directors desire to adopt a metering program to provide for the conservation of the water supply. It Is our view that a court, in construing the provisions of the Public Service Commission Act and the Las Vegas Valley Water District Act, should hold that the metering prohibition of Section 6112, Nevada Compiled Laws, is not applicable to the District. Turning first to Section 6112, two things will be noted. First, the prohibition is contained in the Public Service Commission Act, a comprehensive act dealing specifically with the regulation of "public utilities" as defined in that act, and, secondly, that the metering prohibition of Section 6112 was by amendment of 1 9 3 1 * specifically limited to "public utilities. Among other things, Section 6106 of Nevada Compiled Laws defines "public utilities" as embracing " . . . all corporations, com­panies, individuals, associations of individuals, their lessees, trustees or receivers . . . that now, or may hereafter, own, operate, manage, or control . . . any plant or equipment . . . ^ for the production, delivery or furnishing . . . [of] water .. S'*