1. Who are the highest paid water officials in the Southern Nevada Water Authority and Las Vegas Valley Water District?
A: John Entsminger, general manager of the Southern Nevada Water Authority, is the highest paid – he made $513,000 in pay last year. But the contribution to his pension was $106,000! That’s a whole other salary.
The general counsel, CFO, two other Deputy General Managers, all made at least $300,000, plus pensions contributions at or near $100,000.
70 people made $200,000 or more with base pay and other pay combined at Southern Nevada Water Authority and Las Vegas Valley Water District.
(the water authority and water district payroll is combined)
2. How does this pay compare to other water authorities and districts?
No one on the payroll makes even $150,000 — the head of the division, Adam Sullivan, the state engineer and administrator, made $141,000 last year, plus $47,000 to his pension.
There’s only 15 people who made $100,000 or more.
Looking at Metro Nashville water services, their director Scott Potter made almost $300,000 last year, around the same as the Las Vegas deputy general managers.
Their assistant directors make between $155,000 and $185,000.
3. Everyone’s doing their part to minimize water use, replacing grass with drought resistant landscaping. What’s the latest in these efforts?
A: You all have reported on this but by the end of 2026, watering decorative grass will be illegal, so people have until then to wind down those grass landscapes.
With water use restrictions — water plants and trees up to 2 days a week, grass up to 3 days —and even fines for people who use the most, water use is up in Southern Nevada.
Lake Mead water levels have dropped more than 150 feet over the last two decades. The federal government has issued a water shortage declaration, reducing the amount of water Southern Nevada is allowed to draw from the lake.
In the 2024 fiscal year, the Las Vegas Valley Water District made more than $32 million in its first year of charging fees to about 20,000 of the biggest water users — about 6% of water customers. (For every 1,000 gallons used over that month’s limit, a $9 charge will be added to water bills)
Those funds are earmarked for conservation programs.
Nevada, along with California and Arizona, will likely face cuts to its share of Colorado River water by the end of next year, as negotiations occur to update guidelines.