Throughout the country and throughout the world, an increasing number of communities are utilizing reclaimed water. The uses for reclaimed water seem to grow on a daily basis, and demonstrate an international acceptance of reclaimed wastewater as a clean, safe product. The citizens of the Las Vegas Valley are no exception to these trends and schools of thought. During the past five years, at least four major citizens groups have recognized the value of reclaimed water and made recommendations to our water and wastewater purveyors to maximize this resource.

The Clark County Water Reclamation District has been closely involved with each of these citizens groups, and has played an important role in educating citizens on the uses, benefits and opportunities for reuse in our valley. In fact, the decision to proceed with the design and construction of the Desert Breeze Water Resource Center was, in part, a byproduct of our work with the Water Quality Citizens Advisory Committee (WQCAC) and other outreach efforts by the District, including citizen surveys, public meetings and one-on-one contacts with local businesses.

In Las Vegas, water refreshes, it cleanses and it sustains our quality of life, in what would otherwise be a dry and lifeless desert. Water is a critical element in the world as we know it.

One look at our community, with its golf courses and expansive lake close by, and it's not always easy to understand that the Las Vegas Valley doesn't abound in a rich and plentiful water supply.

But those of us who work every day to protect and preserve our water know it takes much more than magic to complete the task.

In fact, we live in a desert that sees barely four inches of rainfall per year. We rely on a limited groundwater supply plus a relatively small allocation of Colorado River water we pump from Lake Mead.

As thousands of individuals and families move into our community each month, the need to be careful and conservative in our water management increases in direct proportion to the demands on our water resources.

To maintain a healthy environment and a clean, safe water supply, we all play a pivotal role. The agencies that treat and provide water to your homes, those of us who treat wastewater and you, the citizen, make an efficient "Clean Water Team."  Working together, we can — and will — win in our water conservation and reclamation efforts while we keep our vibrant hometown safe and water-secure for many years to come.

For more information, please visit TheRightWater.Com.