Water Smarts Podcast
From the banks of the Colorado River and Lake Mead to the homes and businesses of Southern Nevada, the Water Smarts podcast covers how we treat, deliver, use, protect and conserve water in the Las Vegas Valley. Hosts Bronson Mack and Crystal Zuelke – along with experts from the Southern Nevada Water Authority who keep the water flowing – hope to make you a little smarter about the one thing that keeps us all connected – water.
Episodes
56 episodes
WHAT LIES BENEATH: Southern Nevada groundwater is a hidden resource for the community
Las Vegas owes its very existence to groundwater. Native peoples relied on natural springs that bubbled to the surface; early settlers farmed using water from the springs and groundwater aquifer; and Las Vegas became a townsite because the rail...
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Season 4
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Episode 56
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22:42
IN SEASON: Star Nursery's tips for fall and winter
Relief from the scorching summer heat is nearing, and it’s time to prep your yard for fall and winter. Horticulturist and arborist Joey Lynn from Star Nursery joins us to talk landscape tips and suggest plants and trees that thrive in th...
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Season 4
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Episode 55
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38:37
SUSTAINABLE FOCUS: MGM Resorts invests to save water
Despite appearances, the Las Vegas Strip resorts only consume 6 percent of Southern Nevada’s water supply. MGM Resorts Vice President of Sustainability Michael Gulich, and SNWA Conservation Manager Mike Bernardo talk about how the...
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Season 4
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Episode 54
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40:20
LEAKS HAPPEN: Get help finding and fixing water leaks
Leaks are an expensive nuisance, increasing your water bill and costing hundreds if not thousands of dollars to repair. They also impact the community’s water supply when you combine the water lost to leaks at all Southern Nevada homes and busi...
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Season 4
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Episode 53
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33:17
STRAIGHT FROM THE TAP: What's in your drinking water?
Ever wonder what's in your tap water? You can find test results of the drinking water supply in your water agency’s Water Quality Report, which is published each summer. Carolyn Faircloth, the Water Quality Laboratory Manager for the Sou...
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Season 4
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Episode 52
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36:19
TOILET OR TRASH? Why what you flush impacts our water cycle
Because Southern Nevada recycles 100% of the water it uses indoors, it’s important you know what you shouldn’t flush or put down the drain. Nearly all our wastewater is highly treated and returned to Lake Mead. Michael Phillips with the ...
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Season 4
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Episode 51
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25:28
COOL TRENDS: How businesses can keep cool & stay water smart
In Southern Nevada, grass is the largest consumer of the community’s water supply. But, did you know that the evaporative cooling systems chilling large buildings like hotels and schools are the second largest consumer of our water? The Souther...
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Season 4
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Episode 50
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25:11
AB356: Time's running out to 86 nonfunctional grass by the end of '26
The clock is ticking! AB356, the state law prohibiting use of Colorado River water to irrigate nonfunctional turf, takes effect in less than three years. Businesses, HOAs and multifamily properties need to replace grass with drip-irrigated plan...
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Season 4
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Episode 49
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21:11
REBATE RISING: Landscape rebate increased to $5 a sq ft for residential properties
It’s no secret the SNWA Water Smart Landscapes rebate helps property owners replace water-thirsty grass with drip-irrigated trees and plants. Now the cat’s out of the bag on the rebate’s increase to $5 per square foot. Learn how you can take ad...
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Season 4
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Episode 48
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32:31
EMERGENCY RESPONSE: LVVWD responds to tropical storm damage in Kyle Canyon
When Tropical Storm Hilary hit the Mount Charleston area, the resulting flood wiped away roads, downed power lines and washed out water mains. Las Vegas Valley Water District (LVVWD) crews were on the scene within hours of the storm assessing t...
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Season 4
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Episode 47
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26:00
SURVIVING SHORTAGE: Southern Nevada relies on conservation, future water augmentation
As Southern Nevada enters its third year under federally-declared shortage conditions, the community is thriving and surviving despite the water cuts. Colby Pellegrino, SNWA Deputy General Manager of Resources, talks about Colorado River...
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Season 3
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Episode 46
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39:06
SPECIAL: "What About Water?" interview with SNWA's John Entsminger
John Entsminger, Southern Nevada Water Authority general manager, recently joined Jeff Szabo, the CEO of the Suffolk County Water Authority (SCWA), for a lively discussion about East Coast vs. West Coast water issues. Serving 1.2 ...
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Season 3
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Episode 45
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30:32
SMART GROWTH: Water Investment Rating tool helps measure water, economic impact of new businesses
Business leaders and the Southern Nevada Water Authority (SNWA) have collaborated on a Water Investment Rating tool to evaluate new businesses looking to locate in the community. The two-phase rating system relies on quantitative and qualitativ...
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Season 3
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Episode 44
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24:40
SHADY SMART: SNWA spreads shade with new tree bonus, urban forest initiative
The Southern Nevada Water Authority (SNWA) has two new initiatives to encourage more tree plantings and expand the community’s urban forest. Zane Marshall, SNWA’s Director of Water Resources, shares details about how property owners can ...
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Season 3
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Episode 43
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18:45
TECH TALK: Technology helps water utilities respond to challenges
From finding leaks in 6,500 miles of buried pipeline to managing the complexities of regulatory compliance, technology is helping agencies like the Southern Nevada Water Authority (SNWA) solve the unique challenges facing the water industry.
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Season 3
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Episode 42
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31:06
REAL TIME RESULTS: LVVWD improves leak notifications to help customers quickly find & fix leaks
Leaks inside and outside your home can cause devastating damage and significantly increase your water bill. The Las Vegas Valley Water District (LVVWD) has improved its leak notification system so that customers get notified within days of a po...
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Season 3
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Episode 41
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20:49
WHAT'S IN YOUR TAP WATER?
As summer heats up, we all drink more water. You can find out what’s in your tap water by reviewing your water agency’s Water Quality Report. Carolyn Faircloth, the Water Quality Laboratory Manager for the Southern Nevada Water Authority...
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Season 3
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Episode 40
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18:59
H2O HEROES: the Power of Water Smart Plumbers
If you have a plumbing problem, do you know how to find a qualified professional to fix it? The Southern Nevada Water Authority (SNWA) takes the heavy lifting out of your search with its new Water Smart Plumbers program. Toby Bickmore wi...
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Season 3
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Episode 39
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27:46
Henderson parks go water smart
City of Henderson (COH) is leading by example with its many water-saving projects. COH Municipal Forester Preston Goodman shares how replacing more than 2 million square feet of grass at 50 Henderson parks will save millions of gallons o...
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Season 3
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Episode 38
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16:30
HOAs & AB356: what your HOA should do to comply with state law prohibiting decorative grass
There are more than 3,000 HOA communities in Southern Nevada, and all must be in compliance with a new Nevada law requiring decorative grass be replaced with water-smart options by the end of 2026. With HOA board turnover and multiple points of...
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Season 3
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Episode 37
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30:50
SPEAKING FOR THE TREES: Star Nursery experts share tree tips for landscape upgrades
Trees are an important part of our community and urban environment, especially as we face a hotter, drier future in Southern Nevada. To protect our water supply, many residents and business owners are replacing water-thirsty grass with water-sm...
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Season 3
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Episode 36
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30:50
AGGRESSIVE & PROGRESSIVE: New conservation measures to drive down water use
Necessity is the mother of invention, and a 20-year megadrought is the driving force behind several new aggressive water conservation measures in Southern Nevada. Doug Bennett, SNWA Conservation Manager, and JC Davis, Director of ...
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Season 3
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Episode 35
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47:46
WHAT'S YOUR GRASS WORTH? New water rates encourage high water users to cut back
As Southern Nevada faces the second year of water reductions due to a federally-declared shortage on the Colorado River, water agencies are implementing new conservation measures and rate changes to drive down community water use. Water Smarts ...
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Season 3
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Episode 34
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27:19
We don't need x-ray glasses to find problem spots
If you change the brake pads or tires on your vehicle before they fail, you’re practicing good “asset management.” The Southern Nevada Water Authority asset management program helps keep the Las Vegas Valley water system in top condition and op...
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Season 2
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Episode 33
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38:01