Ed I
04-27-2004, 11:35 PM
Drought forces Las Vegas to reach deeper for water
Remember shoving your straw deeper into a pop bottle to slurp out those elusive last drops? Faced with the fifth year of drought, the Southern Nevada Water Authority plans to do something similar in Lake Mead, which supplies drinking water to Las Vegas and surrounding areas. Water officials are hurrying to extend an intake pipe another 50 feet into the shrinking reservoir.
Lake Mead has dropped to about 58 percent of its capacity- the lowest its been since 1969. The Water Authority's intakes now pull in the warmer, less pure water near the top of the reservoir,rather than the clean,cold water down deep. Although the treated water still meets health standards,its more expensive to produce because warmer water contains more organic matter. During disinfection,these organic particles react with chlorine to form trihalomethanes,which can cause miscarriages,liver problems and cancer.
High Country News 4/26/04
Remember shoving your straw deeper into a pop bottle to slurp out those elusive last drops? Faced with the fifth year of drought, the Southern Nevada Water Authority plans to do something similar in Lake Mead, which supplies drinking water to Las Vegas and surrounding areas. Water officials are hurrying to extend an intake pipe another 50 feet into the shrinking reservoir.
Lake Mead has dropped to about 58 percent of its capacity- the lowest its been since 1969. The Water Authority's intakes now pull in the warmer, less pure water near the top of the reservoir,rather than the clean,cold water down deep. Although the treated water still meets health standards,its more expensive to produce because warmer water contains more organic matter. During disinfection,these organic particles react with chlorine to form trihalomethanes,which can cause miscarriages,liver problems and cancer.
High Country News 4/26/04