HENDERSON (KTNV) — Cracking down on water waste. The city of Henderson is doing water patrols with help from the Las Vegas Valley Water District and other entities.
A sprinkler system turned on at a home in east Henderson Sunday morning. Water seen running off into the gutter, all caught by the water patrol.
“Obviously watering on Sundays is prohibited here," said Cameron Donnarumma, a water waste investigator with the LVVWD. He’s spent all morning looking out for violations as part of a joint enforcement effort with the city of Henderson and other entities.
“The water situation in with climate change is getting more serious so we are taking action like going out and patrolling for any kind of water waste,” he said.
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Donnarumma says his latest patrol found violations at four different homes. They include common violations like watering on a prohibited day or runoff.
“Another kind of violation is any kind of malfunction, so broken sprinklers or irrigation leaks. Anything like that that’s not functioning properly,” he said.
He says the aim of the enforcement is about education and helping homeowners to do their part in being water wise. Warnings are issued before stiffer penalties are applied.
“If they have been made aware of the issue in the past, they may be at risk of receiving a fine,” Donnarumma said.
In the city of Henderson, those fines can range from $40 to $2,560. Much of the patrol focus has been on combating wasteful outdoor water use rather than indoor use which can be recycled.
“Water leaving the property running off, that evaporates, and we don’t get that back,” he said.
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Donnaruma says there are a few simple steps for homeowners to take.
“Never water on Sundays. Check to make sure nothing is broken or malfunctioning with your irrigation system and check to make sure there’s no runoff,” he said.
Some common examples of water waste include:
- Irrigating, including drip irrigation, on any day other than a property’s assigned watering days
- Irrigation systems that allow water to spray or flow off property
- Draining a swimming pool or spa into the street rather than a designated sanitary sewer port where water is recycled
- Allowing the loss, escape, or excess use of water through a break, leak, or other malfunction
More information on Southern Nevada's water restrictions can be found on the SNWA's website, which also has information on how to report water waste in your neighborhood.
