MINUTES OF MEETING

      ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS

 

      Sixty-seventh Session

      March 9, 1993

 

 

 

The Assembly Committee on Government Affairs was called to order by Chairman Val Z. Garner at 8:33 a.m., Tuesday, March 9, 1993, in Room 330 of the Legislative Building, Carson City, Nevada.  Exhibit A is the Meeting Agenda.  Exhibit B is the Attendance Roster.

 

 

COMMITTEE MEMBERS PRESENT:

 

      Mr. Val Z. Garner, Chairman

      Mr. Rick C. Bennett, Vice Chairman

      Mrs. Kathy M. Augustine

      Mr. Douglas A. Bache

      Mrs. Marcia de Braga

      Mrs. Vivian L. Freeman

      Mr. Lynn Hettrick

      Mrs. Erin Kenny

      Mrs. Joan A. Lambert

      Mr. James W. McGaughey

      Mr. Roy Neighbors

      Mrs. Gene W. Segerblom

      Mr. Wendell P. Williams

 

 

COMMITTEE MEMBERS ABSENT:

 

      None

 

GUEST LEGISLATORS PRESENT:

 

      None

 

STAFF MEMBERS PRESENT:

 

      Dana Bennett, Research Analyst

 

OTHERS PRESENT:

 

      Thalia M. Dondero, Chairman, Southern Nevada Water Authority; Patricia Mulroy, General Manager, Southern Nevada Water Authority; Kurt Segler, Utility Manager, City of Henderson; David Donnelly, Chief Engineer, Las Vegas Valley Water District; Ken Albright, Utility Engineer, City of North Las Vegas; Gary Weatherford, Special Counsel, City of Henderson; Terry Katzer, Director of Research, Las Vegas Valley Water District.

The Southern Nevada Water Authority's presentation to the committee consisted of prepared documentation, overheads, and slides.  Exhibit C is the schedule of speakers and topics in the order presented.

 

Mrs. Thalia M. Dondero, Chairman, Southern Nevada Water Authority, opened the presentation by reading the prepared testimony in Exhibit D.

 

Patricia Mulroy, General Manager, Southern Nevada Water Authority, referenced Exhibit E (on file in the Research Library) and said it was the outline for the program which would follow.

 

Utilizing Exhibit E, Kurt Segler, Utility Manager, City of Henderson, gave the General Overview; and David Donnelly, Chief Engineer, Las Vegas Valley Water District, presented Demand Forecast, Southern Nevada Water Authority Managing Existing Resources.  Periodically, Ms. Mulroy highlighted or edified information for the committee's benefit.

 

Mr. McGaughey asked Ms. Mulroy to explain how the billing system worked when water meter usage jumped or doubled in a month's time when previously it had been stable.  Ms. Mulroy replied meter crews field tested the meter to see if it was still accurate.  If a problem with the meter was not detected, the meter was replaced, brought back to the office, and with the customer present, bench tested.  Any necessary adjustments were then made.

 

Mrs. Freeman questioned what was done to a person when it was proved they were wasting water on their lawn.  Mrs. Mulroy said the legislature had given the water authority the ability to fine for water waste last session, but the sanction had been used sparingly and was not enforced until several attempts to correct usage had failed.

 

Following Mr. Donnelly's presentation, Ken Albright, Utility Engineer, City of North Las Vegas, presented New Resource Options, and Gary Weatherford, Special Counsel, City of Henderson, presented "Law of the River."  Again, both utilized Exhibit E.

 

Ms. Mulroy explained the political dynamics to the committee and mentioned the strong support which now existed to make changes.

 

Terry Katzer, Director of Research, Las Vegas Valley Water District, presented Cooperative Water Project as outlined in Exhibit F, with additional comments by Ms. Mulroy.

Mr. McGaughey complimented the Southern Nevada Water Authority for the finest presentation he had seen detailing facts and figures on a very important issue to Southern Nevada.

 

Mrs. Freeman asked Mrs. Dondero if it had been difficult for the county commissioners to support this type of project.  Mrs. Dondero replied it had not been difficult, but it had taken a lot of negotiation and work.  Ms. Mulroy added, "We all recognized we were going to run out of water in 1995 if we didn't cooperate."  When asked who had been the driving force, Ms. Mulroy said it had been a group of technical people who had worked together with the Southern Nevada Water System, the treatment plant.  She pointed out money had been ruled out as an issue from the beginning, therefore, they proceeded to do what needed to be done.

 

Mrs. Segerblom questioned if Boulder City lost anything because of not having waste water reuse.  The reply was absolutely not, Boulder City had the most stable water supply of any of the cities, with enough water until the year 2025.

 

Chairman Garner agreed with Mr. McGaughey the presentation had been the best presentation the committee had seen regarding water.  He added there were questions which still needed to be answered.  For instance, what role did the Colorado River Commission play in the area of achieving more water resources?  Due to a lack of time, Mr. Garner suggested the committee would possibly invite the Southern Nevada Water Authority back to address the question.  He concluded by saying he would be interested in a broader picture addressing the needs of the entire state and hoped the rest of the state could pattern a similar program.

 

There being no further business to come before committee, the meeting was adjourned at 10:41 a.m.

 

 

      RESPECTFULLY SUBMITTED:

 

 

                             

      BETTY WILLS

      Committee Secretary

 

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Assembly Committee on Government Affairs

March 9, 1993

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