Truckee Meadows Water Authority tells Sparks council the region has sufficient rights for 20‑year demand under current plans

Truckee Meadows Water Authority staff told the Sparks City Council on Monday that, under current planning and the Truckee River Operating Agreement, the region has sufficient water rights to meet projected demand through 2045 but must continue conservation and pursue new supply options to maintain resiliency.

Assistant General Manager Danny Rauter and senior hydrologist Cara Steelen presented the authority’s 2045 Water Resource Plan and an "at a glance" summary. They said TMWA serves about 90% of Washoe County and currently produces roughly 90,000 acre‑feet annually. The plan projects demand growth of about 1.8% per year — roughly 17,000 acre‑feet over 20 years — and assumes continued reliance on surface water (80–85% in most years) and groundwater (15–20%).

Steelen described the Truckee River Operating Agreement (implemented in 2015) as a key resiliency mechanism because upstream stored water can be carried year‑to‑year and used during droughts; she said that stored credits have been used about six times in the last 35 years. The presentation included scenarios to 2098 using multiple climate models; staff said only the most extreme futures show modest shortages late‑century.

Near‑term and longer‑term strategies discussed include expanding aquifer storage and recovery, advancing the American Flat indirect potable reuse (IPR) project in partnership with the City of Reno, and preparing for eventual direct potable reuse (DPR) through regulatory work with state partners. Rauter said an outreach and education component (an IPR community engagement/education center) will accompany those efforts.

Councilmembers asked whether direct potable reuse was under consideration; TMWA confirmed it is on the resource list and that the organization is advancing projects and regulatory conversations to prepare for DPR. Speakers noted conservation measures (metering, tiered rates, assigned watering days, smart meters) have helped stabilize per‑capita use.

What’s next: TMWA left QR‑coded materials and the full plan link for public review; staff said the water resource plan is an evolving document and that project implementation would follow more detailed project planning, permitting and financing.