Source Water Protection

Source water protection in Nevada is a voluntary program which strives to protect sources of drinking water by supporting local partnerships to develop community-driven strategies which can prevent the contamination of drinking water sources. A Community Source Water Protection Plan (CSWP Plan) unites local water purveyors, stakeholders, and the public as they embark on a long-term journey to prevent the pollution of community drinking water sources. A CSWP Plan can help local representatives manage land usage and acts as a proactive defense against potential “man-made” contamination in the vicinity of public water sources. Additionally, a CSWP Plan works as a planning tool to mitigate impacts from drought to maintain public drinking water supplies for generations to come. This CSWP Plan was developed for the only regulated Nevada public water system in the Lower Virgin River Valley, the Virgin Valley Water District (VVWD), to maintain drinking water quality and protect and conserve drinking water sources for generations to come.

‍

CSWP Plan Goals

This CSWP Plan is a locally driven plan intended to facilitate cooperation and education between water purveyors, local and State agencies, industry, community leaders, and citizens to ensure the preservation, protection, and continued safety of public drinking water sources in the Lower Virgin River Valley. The Local Planning Team has established four plan goals, which will serve to guide the development and support the long-term vision and implementation of this community specific CSWP Plan.

‍

Those goals are:

1. Identify the sources of, and potential risks to drinking water, and consider them in the local planning framework.

2. Ensure that clean and safe drinking water is available for future generations.

3. Integrate source water protection and conservation into local planning and zoning documents to ensure that the quality of water matches the goals of the community.

4. Educate the community about what is being accomplished to achieve source water protection and conservation.