The Nye County Water District on Aug. 12 answered public questions about groundwater, water‑truck withdrawals from fire plugs, and the district’s ongoing groundwater modeling of Basin 162.

A member of the public asked whether the county’s 2017 water-resources plan is distributed to developers and whether developers are informed about local nitrate contamination and wastewater‑treatment considerations. The manager said the plan is a public tool for planners and developers and reiterated that developers should be aware of water‑quality and wastewater obligations under federal and state law.

The manager briefed the board that an update to the Basin 162 groundwater model began last year and is expected to be complete in June 2026. He described the model as the best available tool short of direct “x‑ray” observation to estimate underground flow; the model will use precipitation, pumpage and monitoring data to improve understanding.

The manager said the Nevada Division of Water Resources is running the Nevada State Water Initiative, which will evaluate basin yields. He said the commonly cited basin yield number is 20,000 acre‑feet (the amount the state would allow without damaging the aquifer), and that the most recent pumpage inventory was about 16,500 acre‑feet. The manager said the basin is not at a critical threshold but that the state and district are monitoring pumpage closely.

On fire‑plug (hydrant) water use, the manager explained that municipal and private utilities that maintain hydrants (Desert Utility, Pahrump Utility and Great Basin Water Company) require permits to use hydrants; hydrant withdrawals are metered and entered into the state pumpage inventory.

Public commenters raised additional concerns: long‑time residents reported static water‑level drops observed in individual wells, requests for broader hydrology study, and suggestions that the district consider reimbursing private well owners for test kits. One speaker asked whether creosote‑treated power poles near wells were a contamination risk and whether sampling occurs near the county dump; the manager said staff would follow up where appropriate.

Why it matters: Updated groundwater modeling and an accurate pumpage inventory guide local water policy, planning and development decisions. Public concerns about water quality and well declines are central to district work.

Next steps: Staff will continue the Basin 162 groundwater model update with completion expected in mid‑2026 and will provide maps and outputs to the public when available. The manager offered to follow up on specific sampling and monitoring questions raised during public comment.