Today, Congresswoman Susie Lee (NV-03) announced that funding for Laughlin’s water system and the Las Vegas Wash program were her top requests for the bipartisan Water Resources Development Act (WRDA) of 2024. Congresswoman Lee made these requests, which also included prioritizing water supply and conservation projects under the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, to the House Transportation and Infrastructure Subcommittee on Water Resources and Environment during a hearing yesterday on this traditionally biennial, bipartisan legislation.
“No one knows better than a Nevadan just how precious our water resources are — particularly in Laughlin, where an aging and inadequate water system is creating a severe local crisis. That’s why securing water infrastructure investments across southern Nevada, including in Laughlin, is my top request for the bipartisan 2024 Water Resources Development Act,” said Colorado River Caucus Vice-Chair Susie Lee. “We also need to protect and enhance resources for the Las Vegas Wash. That’s why I’ve requested that my bill to expand and increase investments in the Las Vegas Wash be included in WRDA legislation. I will never stop fighting for federal resources and bipartisan solutions to tackle drought in Nevada.”
Sitting at the southern tip of Nevada, Laughlin is struggling with water infrastructure no longer sufficient to meet its needs, especially in the event of an emergency. The town’s water treatment and delivery system is the only such system managed by the Las Vegas Valley Water District that lacks a secondary water source and lags in water storage capacity. To meet this crisis, which comes as southern Nevada continues to contend with the effects of the Western megadrought, Congresswoman Lee requested assistance to update Laughlin’s water system. This includes requesting assistance for the construction of a new groundwater well. Just last week, Lee met with local officials on the ground and heard more about their concerns.
Congresswoman Lee’s second request was for her bill to expand and increase investments in the Las Vegas Wash. The legislation would raise the funding cap of the Las Vegas Wash program to reflect the critical role that this drainage channel plays for the Las Vegas Valley watershed. The Wash carries more than 200 million gallons of water to Lake Mead every day and allows southern Nevada to recycle nearly every drop of water it uses indoors. Raising the cap on the federally supported Las Vegas Wash program would help ensure that projects to protect and restore the channel receive necessary funding.
Lee recently announced a $20 million investment in the Las Vegas Wash, made possible by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law which she helped negotiate and pass.
You can read more about WRDA here.
