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| Communities Thirsty for Water Supply Solutions |
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(November 14, 2007) --
Managing, developing, and protecting the nation's water resources is key to supporting the economic growth and development in communities everywhere.
For regions like Las Vegas, which is hosting the 2007 REALTORS® Conference & Expo this week, water, or the lack thereof, is of particular concern. The western United States, which is one of the fastest growing regions and also one of the driest, appears to be the most challenged by water shortages.
“As the leading advocate for private property rights, homeownership and housing issues, NAR supports land use and environmental regulations that help manage growth smartly to sustain water resources and also meet the growing needs of local businesses and residents,” said NAR President Pat V. Combs. “The continued growth and development of many of our nation's communities depends on a sufficient quantity and quality of water, which requires planning and careful management.”
Water Conservation Tied to Quality of Life
Finding sufficient water for commercial, residential, environmental, and agricultural uses is one of the most challenging environmental issues facing much of the country. Water conservation has been the norm in some areas of the country, such as the West, where communities struggle to keep up with reduced precipitation and increased population growth and demand.
Recent droughts have also depleted water supplies and forced many local and state governments to enact emergency water conservation plans and fight for access to additional resources.
“Water conservation is not only about saving water and reducing waste, it is also about improving the environment and our quality of life, among other things,” said Robert Johnson, the 17th commissioner of the Bureau of Reclamation, which is the nation's largest wholesale water supplier, during a forum on land use, property rights and the environment.
“The West has been experiencing significant drought since 2000, but even southeastern states that typically don't have to worry about water supplies have been experiencing less precipitation as well as increased population growth. At the same time many of these areas are also being challenged by aging infrastructures.”
Practical Solutions to Water Shortage
Johnson cited potential solutions to water shortages such as waste water reuse, water conservation programs, water transfers and desalinization, the process of removing salt from ocean water.
“Southern Nevada gets less than four inches of rain each year, making it critical for the area to reuse 100 percent of its waste water," said Patricia Mulroy, general manger of the Southern Nevada Water Authority, in Las Vegas.
Many people are surprised to learn that the Las Vegas Boulevard strip uses less than three percent of the region's water; most of the water is used by residents.
In 2002, when southern Nevada experienced its worst drought in years, the water authority saw an opportunity to re-tool how water is used in the region for the long-term, Mulroy said. "We gave businesses and residents incentives to limit non-indigenous plants and flowers, and within 18 months local consumption was reduced by one-third.”
— REALTOR® Magazine Online
The 2007 REALTORS® Conference & Expo is Nov. 13-16 at the Venetian Resort Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas. The meeting, with some 30,000 attendees, features more than 200 conference sessions and 744 exhibitors.
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| Reprinted from REALTOR® Magazine Online (http://www.realtor.org/realtormag), November 14, 2007 with permission of the NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS®. Copyright 2007. All rights reserved. |
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