New hotels opening shops on the famous Las Vegas Strip may soon be banned from including fountains in their designs.
Water features like the one at the Bellagio hotel are a staple of the strip, but the state of Nevada is planning new restrictions on fountains, rivers, and lakes to combat drought.
The plans could also affect golf courses in southern Nevada, where home swimming pools are already subject to new restrictions.
It follows the warnings sent to residents of an exclusive area of Los Angeles earlier this month, warning them about water use during a “severe” drought emergency.
Fountains like the one outside the Bellagio are a staple of the Las Vegas strip
Celebrities including Kim and Kourtney Kardashian, Sylvester Stallone and Kevin Hart were among 2,000 customers issued with “overrun notices” by the Las Virgenes Municipal Water District (LVMWD) after using more than 150% of their monthly water budgets at least four times since the beginning of the year, according to the Los Angeles Times.
In Nevada, one of three proposals outlined by the Las Vegas Valley Water District would see single-family homeowners charge a $ 9 (£ 7.67) fee for every 1,000 gallons they use over the seasonal water limit.
According to another proposal, water budgets for golf courses would shrink by a third in 2024.
The proposals will be voted on by the district water council following a public consultation.
A rule already in effect on September 1 will limit residential pools to a maximum size of 600 square feet. Further restrictions on outdoor water are also under consideration.
The proposed restrictions follow the recent announcement by the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation that Nevada would have to reduce Colorado River water use by 8% next year, due to the historic drought in the western states.
Nevada, which uses the smallest amount of water among the seven states that draw from the river, said it will reduce its annual endowment of 300,000 acre feet by 25,000 acre feet next year.
