Southern Nevada Water Authority to Fund Conservation Efforts in Mexico

LAS VEGAS (AP) — The Southern Nevada Water Authority is making deals with Arizona and Mexico to ensure enough H20 in the years to come for the Las Vegas area.

The authority plans to spend up to $7.5 million in Mexico over the next 10 years in exchange for more Colorado River water.

Authority board members approved the payments Thursday as they also approved a sweeping water-sharing agreement the U.S. and Mexico are expected to sign next month, the Las Vegas Review-Journal reports (http://bit.ly/2vitRHI ).

Under the pact, the authority, the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation and water agencies in Arizona and California would provide $31.5 million for water efficiency improvements in Mexico through 2026. In return, the agencies would share nearly enough Colorado River water to supply the Las Vegas Valley for one year.

Mexico is expected to use the money to line canals, repair pipes, curb runoff from farm fields and other water-saving projects.

Before Thursday’s board vote, water authority General Manager John Entsminger said the broader treaty amendment is important to both countries because it spells out what is expected of everyone if a shortage is declared on the Colorado River. Otherwise, he said, the U.S. and Mexico could find themselves in a fight over the river at the same time they’re trying to manage “a potential water crisis,” he said.

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