Advisory committees
When faced with difficult decisions impacting our community, the Southern Nevada Water Authority has consistently relied upon input from citizens committees.
Since 1991, these committees have explored and deliberated over issues ranging from water quality and environmental initiatives to the development of water resources for Southern Nevada's future.
Nonfunctional Turf Removal Advisory Committee (2021)
In June 2021, the Nevada Legislature directed the Water Authority Board to develop a plan for the removal of nonfunctional turf in the Las Vegas Valley. The Legislature directed that nonfunctional turf at non-single family residential properties be removed by 2027. Learn more about this law.
The Legislature also created the Nonfunctional Turf Removal Advisory Committee to be appointed by the Southern Nevada Water Authority Board of Directors to help the Water Authority develop its plan for removal of nonfunctional turf. The committee comprised nine voting members, representing office parks, businesses, industrial or commercial facilities, golf courses, homeowners associations, multi-family housing facilities, environmental organizations, and local governments.
The committee met regularly to provide recommendations to the Board of Directors on identifying and facilitating the removal of existing nonfunctional turf on non-single family residential properties. The committee also recommended a process for exemptions or waivers to the nonfunctional turf removal requirements.
The Southern Nevada Water Authority Board approved the Nonfunctional Turf Removal Advisory Committee Recommendations Report in January 2022.
Infrastructure and Water Resources Committee (2019-2020)
In 2019, an 11-member committee evaluated various issues central to responsibly and sustainably meeting water demands in Southern Nevada. These included critical water infrastructure, water resources, water conservation, out-of-valley water use and water rates.
In August 2020, the committee finalized a series of recommendations that included constructing new infrastructure needed to improve water system reliability and capacity, maximizing return-flow credits in new areas, acquiring new Colorado River water resources, achieving the regional conservation goal, including removing nonfunctional turf, and implementing inflationary-based increases to water rates to fund an amendment to the Water Authority's Major Construction and Capital Plan.
The Southern Nevada Water Authority Board approved the Infrastructure and Water Resources Committee Recommendations Report in September 2020.