Nevada Governor To Cut Own Water Use In Drought

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RENO, Nev. — One of the top water users in the Reno area, Gov. Brian Sandoval, said he is taking steps to cut back on outdoor irrigation and plans to remove turf in his yard to set an example during this time of drought.

A list of the top 1,000 water users served by the Truckee Meadows Water Authority from 2011 to 2014 showed that in the category of flat-rate residential customers, Sandoval’s Reno home regularly ranked among the top 150 in the most water consumed. The highest water use for the governor’s nearly 1-acre, grassy lot that includes a swimming pool was in 2012 at 1,041,000 gallons and the least was last year at 876,000 gallons, according to the water authority’s records.

The typical home in Reno uses about 124,000 gallons of water a year.

Sandoval said he became aware of excessive water use last winter, contacted his contractor and “immediately told them to reduce water consumption.” He said he is now soliciting bids for a major landscape renovation at his Reno home, including the removal of several thousand square feet of turf and the installation of desert landscaping. He has also requested a water audit from the water authority to determine other potential ways to reduce water use.

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