Hello everyone,

It is warming up out there and Las Vegas residents are drinking more and more water every week. Whether it’s out by the pool or at a fine restaurant, everyone wants to stay cool and hydrated.

One of the questions we are often asked by people moving to Las Vegas or considering doing so is…. “How’s the water quality in your city? We have heard some not so good things about Las Vegas’ water.” That prompted us to do quite a bit of research regarding Las Vegas’ water supply and its quality.

To add to our library of resources on the subject, the Las Vegas Valley Water District has just published the 2008 Water Quality Report. If you would like a copy for yourself… drop us a line or email us today.

Below you will find a sampling from the questions and answers portion at the end of the report:

HOW HARD IS THE WATER IN SOUTHERN NEVADA?
Water is considered hard if the hardness is 100 parts per million (ppm) or
more. That’s equal to 5.85 grains per gallon. The average hardness of the
Las Vegas Valley Water District’s water is about 292 ppm (17.1 grains per
gallon), comparable to many Western cities’ water supplies. Our water’s
hardness is the result of dissolved calcium and magnesium from the Rocky
Mountains, where most of our water begins as snowmelt. Addressing
aesthetic issues such as hardness during treatment could be prohibitively
expensive—especially considering that most water is used outdoors.

WHAT ACCOUNTS FOR TAP WATER’S TASTE?
The taste is caused by naturally occurring minerals and by chlorine, which is
added to protect the water from bacteria. Water quality is best measured by
the number and concentration of contaminants; we have few contaminants in
our drinking water, and those that are present are well within Safe Drinking
Water Act limits.

HOW DO I KNOW IF MY TAP WATER IS SAFE TO DRINK?
Both the federal Environmental Protection Agency and the State of Nevada
have established health-based quality standards for tap water. Tap water
delivered by the Las Vegas Valley Water District meets or surpasses all standards.
The Alfred Merritt Smith Water Treatment Facility has been recognized by
the National Partnership for Safe Water for its efforts to ensure that Southern
Nevada’s municipal water meets or surpasses both state and federal water quality
standards. Additionally, nearly 30,000 water samples are collected
each year from locations in Lake Mead and throughout the treatment and
distribution systems—in neighborhoods throughout the valley.

DO I NEED TO USE A WATER-TREATMENT SYSTEM?
In general, not unless you want to change your tap water’s taste or remove
the minerals that cause it to be “hard.” While many people prefer the taste of
bottled water, tap water is subject to even more-stringent quality standards
than bottled water and is tested more frequently. Pregnant women and people
with medical conditions affecting their immune system should consult a
physician to determine whether a supplemental treatment system is appropriate.

Our thanks goes to The Las Vegas Valley Water District for making this information available.

I trust that you are having a great summer and check us out for more information about life in Las Vegas and the surrounding communities.

See you soon,

David