August 9, 2004
Water: Not From Vegas' Tap

By STEVE FRIESS

Newsweek

Las Vegas is in the grips of a five-year drought. So how do the fountains at the ultratony Boca Park shopping center, about eight miles northwest of the Strip, keep dancing? Creative thinking. The center's staff has gotten around drought restrictions by trucking in water from Utah, Oregon and Canada—for about $13,000 a month. Signs on the four fountains explain, THE WATER IN THIS FOUNTAIN IS NOT FROM THE STATE OF NEVADA OR THE COLORADO RIVER BASIN, where the region gets most of its H2O.

The folks at the Southern Nevada Water Authority aren't impressed. Boca Park is technically within legal bounds, says SNWA conservation manager Doug Bennett, but running the fountains—regardless of where the water comes from—sends the wrong message to local residents. "That's defying your environment," Bennett explains. "It's desert denial." (Boca Park's not the only one in denial. The megaresorts on the Strip are exempt from the fountain ban because most of the water is treated and returned to the Colorado River.)

But this may soon become a moot point. The complex is planning to replace its grassy areas with desert landscaping, saving so much moisture that it'll be allowed to use local water too. Boca Park exec Barry Bender is looking forward to not having to explain to truckers why they're driving thousands of miles to Vegas with water. "I would tell them, 'Hey, I can truck in molasses if I want to and run the fountain with molasses'." Don't give the Bellagio any ideas.

###