Drought, demand push Nevada toward stricter well water limit
CARSON CITY — With groundwater drying up across arid Nevada, the state's top water official asked lawmakers on Tuesday to limit new wells drilled at rural homes in the state's most parched regions to a quarter of the water that existing wells can tap.
State Engineer Jason King said one in five domestic wells are in areas where his office has approved more water rights than there is water available. Many were at risk of total depletion before this year's record rainfall in Northern Nevada.
"I know we've got a great water year going this year, but a few years down the road those same wells that were dry will be dry again," said Sen. Pete Goicoechea, a Republican representing the central Nevada town of Eureka.
The 50,000 private-home wells currently approved across Nevada are crucial to daily life outside city water systems, and people want to drill more of them. But when the wells run low, King's office restricts their use — starting with the newest wells.
Read more: https://lasvegassun.com/news/2017/mar/29/drought-demand-push-nevada-toward-stricter-well-wa/