LAS VEGAS (KTNV) — Starting on Sept. 1 you will only be allowed to water your plants and grass three days a week until October 31st.
The change hits a little differently this year after the federal government issued the first-ever water shortage declaration for the Colorado River.
RELATED: MORE DROUGHT CRISIS NEWS
"It’s never been more paramount. It’s never been more important than it is right now on the heels of the shortage declaration that just occurred. Being able to do one simple thing, going out to your garage and adjust that watering system, will save us in excess the amount of water that was declared in the shortage declaration," says Corey J. Enus, the senior public information coordinator for the Las Vegas Valley Water District, Southern Nevada Water Authority and Springs Preserve.
Southern Nevada gets 90% of its water from the Colorado River. More than half of the water we use is for outdoor use. This water is consumed, meaning once it’s used, we’ll never see it again and it’s counted against our Colorado River water allowance.
Most of our indoor water use is recycled and has little to no impact on the amount of water we use from the river.
"Adjusting your watering clock will not only save the community water, but it could save each individual property owner up to 300 dollars. During times like right now when it’s rainy or cloudy, you don’t have to reduce it to 3 days a week. You can turn your watering clock off altogether," Enus told us.
SNWA continues to emphasize water conservation methods and plans, most notably these watering restrictions and removing useless grass. That grass uses about 10% of our water supply.
"There are 3 things that every single person in our community can do to make sure we are adhering to water conservation. That’s adhering to those watering restrictions. That’s removing that grass and replacing it with water-smart landscapes and that’s making sure your neighbor is adhering to those same standards. If you see something in the community, report it to snwa.com or your local municipality," Enus stresses.
MORE: Water fines: How to conserve water and avoid paying
You can find out what water zone you are in and when your watering days are here.
DAILY DEBRIEF: AN IN-DEPTH LOOK INTO THIS STORY
