LAS VEGAS (KTNV) — The Southern Nevada Water Authority is taking steps to mitigate the water crisis in Southern Nevada.
A system that the agency created in response to the declining water levels at Lake Mead will go from the testing to the operational phase Wednesday.
The system is called the Low Lake Level Pumping Station, costing more than $520 million.
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Bronson Mack, public information officer for the Southern Nevada Water Authority, says the Low Lake Level Pumping Station will be able to deliver up to 900 million gallons of water a day to SNWA facilities.
"We have a deep water intake on the bottom of the lake, and now we have the full capacity to pump the full elevation of Lake Mead," Mack said. "If water levels get so low that water cannot be released from Hoover Dam to downstream water users, we here in Southern Nevada will still have access to our supply because of intake no. 3 and our low-level pumping system."
While the new pumping system should mitigate some water concerns, Mack says conservation is still key in making sure we have enough water for our future.
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It’s most important to be frugal with your outdoor water and change your sprinkler clock four times a year. The SNWA recycles all indoor water, returning it to Lake Mead.
