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Water Smarts podcast

From the banks of the Colorado River and Lake Mead to the homes and businesses of Southern Nevada, the Water Smarts podcast covers how we treat, deliver, use, protect and conserve water in the Las Vegas Valley.

Hosts Bronson Mack and Crystal Zuelke — along with experts from the Southern Nevada Water Authority who keep the water flowing — hope to make you a little smarter about the one thing that keeps us all connected — water.

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WHAT LIES BENEATH: Southern Nevada groundwater is a hidden resource for the community

Episode 56 - Oct. 8, 2024

Las Vegas owes its very existence to groundwater. Native peoples relied on natural springs that bubbled to the surface; early settlers farmed using water from the springs and groundwater aquifer; and Las Vegas became a townsite because the railroad needed a stop where it could refill its steam locomotive water tanks. The Las Vegas Springs stopped flowing in 1962, but Southern Nevada still relies on the groundwater aquifer for 10 percent of its water supply. Learn more about groundwater and how the Southern Nevada Water Authority helps protect the aquifer.

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IN SEASON: Star Nursery's tips for fall and winter

Episode 55 - Sept. 10, 2024

Relief from the scorching summer heat is nearing, and it's time to prep your yard for fall and winter. Horticulturist and arborist Joey Lynn from Star Nursery joins us to talk landscape tips and suggest plants and trees that thrive in the desert. Find out how you can have year-round color in your yard, when to prune plants, and what grows in your garden in the cooler months.

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SUSTAINABLE FOCUS: MGM Resorts invests to save water

Episode 54 - Aug. 12, 2024

Despite appearances, the Las Vegas Strip resorts only consume 6 percent of Southern Nevada’s water supply. MGM Resorts Vice President of Sustainability Michael Gulich and SNWA Conservation Manager Mike Bernardo talk about how the hotels use water, including why the Bellagio Fountain does not impact Southern Nevada’s Colorado River water allocation. From replacing moats with artificial turf to testing new technologies, MGM Resorts is ensuring its properties and operations are as water smart as possible.

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LEAKS HAPPEN: Get help finding and fixing water leaks

Episode 53 - July 3, 2024

Leaks are an expensive nuisance, increasing your water bill and costing hundreds if not thousands of dollars to repair. They also impact the community’s water supply when you combine the water lost to leaks at all Southern Nevada homes and businesses. JC Davis, the director of Customer Care & Field Services at the Las Vegas Valley Water District (LVVWD), shares details about a new suite of programs from LVVWD and the Southern Nevada Water Authority that will help homeowners pay for professional services to find and fix leaks.

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STRAIGHT FROM THE TAP - What’s in your drinking water?

Episode 52 - June 6, 2024

Ever wonder what's in your tap water? You can find test results of the drinking water supply in your water agency's Water Quality Report, which is published each summer. Carolyn Faircloth, the Water Quality Laboratory Manager for the Southern Nevada Water Authority (SNWA), talks about the reports and addresses common questions about issues such as odor, taste and PFAS.

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TOILET OR TRASH? Why what you flush impacts our water cycle

Episode 51 - May 7, 2024

Because Southern Nevada recycles 100% of the water it uses indoors, it’s important you know what you shouldn’t flush or put down the drain. Nearly all our wastewater is highly treated and returned to Lake Mead. Michael Phillips with the Clark County Water Reclamation District talks about how wastewater plays an important role in our water cycle, and how you can help protect our water supply.

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COOL TRENDS: How businesses can keep cool & stay water smart

Episode 50 - April 4, 2024

In Southern Nevada, grass is the largest consumer of the community’s water supply. But, did you know that the evaporative cooling systems chilling large buildings like hotels and schools are the second largest consumer of our water? The Southern Nevada Water Authority has implemented a moratorium on new evaporative cooling systems and offers rebates for properties to upgrade or replace existing systems to more water-efficient cooling options.

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AB356: Time's running out to 86 nonfunctional grass by the end of '26

Episode 49 - March 6, 2024

The clock is ticking! AB356, the state law prohibiting use of Colorado River water to irrigate nonfunctional turf, takes effect in less than three years. Businesses, HOAs and multifamily properties need to replace grass with drip-irrigated plants and trees by Jan. 1, 2027. SNWA conservation expert Patrick Watson shares how SNWA can help property owners comply with the law and take advantage of the current Water Smarts Landscape rebate, which will DECREASE for nonfunctional grass projects at the end of this year.

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REBATE RISING: Landscape rebate increased to $5 a sq ft for residential properties

Episode 48 - Feb. 13, 2024

It’s no secret the SNWA Water Smart Landscapes rebate helps property owners replace water-thirsty grass with drip-irrigated trees and plants. Now the cat’s out of the bag on the rebate’s increase to $5 per square foot. Learn how you can take advantage of this temporary increase from SNWA conservation expert Toby Bickmore.

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EMERGENCY RESPONSE: LVVWD responds to tropical storm damage in Kyle Canyon

Episode 47 - Jan. 22, 2024

When Tropical Storm Hilary hit the Mount Charleston area, the resulting flood wiped away roads, downed power lines and washed out water mains. Las Vegas Valley Water District (LVVWD) crews were on the scene within hours of the storm assessing the damage and planning repairs to the badly damaged water system in the Kyle Canyon community. LVVWD's Aaron Gamble and Tom Burns talk about the emergency response efforts that included helping the fire department ferry residents to safety.

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SURVIVING SHORTAGE: Southern Nevada relies on conservation, future water augmentation

Episode 46 - Nov. 29, 2023

As Southern Nevada enters its third year under federally-declared shortage conditions, the community is thriving and surviving despite the water cuts. Colby Pellegrino, SNWA Deputy General Manager of Resources, talks about Colorado River Basin conditions, negotiations around future water supplies, and how conservation is helping the community live under shortage conditions.

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SPECIAL: "What About Water?" interview with SNWA's John Entsminger

Episode 45 - Nov. 6, 2023

John Entsminger, Southern Nevada Water Authority general manager, recently joined Jeff Szabo, the CEO of the Suffolk County Water Authority (SCWA), for a lively discussion about East Coast vs. West Coast water issues. Serving 1.2 million people in New York, SCWA is one of the largest groundwater suppliers in the nation. While the sources of water for the two agencies differ, one thing is clear: conservation is key to ensuring the long-term economic and environmental sustainability of the communities served.

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SMART GROWTH: Water Investment Rating tool helps measure water, economic impact of new businesses

Episode 44 - Oct. 25, 2023

Business leaders and the Southern Nevada Water Authority (SNWA) have collaborated on a Water Investment Rating tool to evaluate new businesses looking to locate in the community. The two-phase rating system relies on quantitative and qualitative calculations to determine the water footprint of new businesses and the benefit to the community. Dave Johnson, SNWA Deputy General Manager of Operations, shares insights into why the rating system was developed and how it’s being implemented in Southern Nevada.

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