Las Vegas Sets Max Limit of 600 Sq. Feet on Residential Pools

The pool industry has been fighting the good fight in the halls of public perception about the drought. The issue is impacting building codes in Las Vegas as the Southern Nevada Water Authority looks for new ways to reduce its outdoor water usage.

The SNWA has been working with local authorities to change building codes for new residential pools in an effort to mitigate water supply strains. Under the new guidelines all new residential swimming pools and spas will be limited to a total of 600 square feet per property under the new rules that have been approved. Single-family residences will ultimately be the target audience for this new program.

Las Vegas County Commission Vote Unanimously To Limit Swimming Pool Sizes

In a 6-0 vote, the Clark County Commission approved a revision to the service regulations of the Las Vegas Valley Water District that will put a cap on the size of new pools being built in single-family properties. The new rule prohibits construction of pools larger than 600 square feet.

Meeting attendees from throughout the pool industry proposed new ideas and suggested alternatives that would save up to 30% more water than the current 600 square foot restriction they hoped to prevent from being implemented.

Alternatives Shot Down By County Commissioners

Under the suggestions outlined by pool industry professionals, pools would have been allowed to increase in sized according to lot size up to a certain cap. To go beyond the limit, pool owners would have to pay an additional $40 to $50 per square foot water conservation fee. Home owners who install an automatic pool cover, which the pool industry claims can cut evaporation by over 90%, would be eligible for exemptions. Ultimately, these suggestions would be denied in favor of the plan to limit swimming pool sizes.

The issue is sure to have an immediate impact on Ozzie Enterprises Inc.’s pool construction business, according to Ozzie Enterprises president Kevin Kraft. He estimated that up to 95% of his clients will be affected by the new size restrictions.

Joe Vassallo, owner of Paragon Pools in Las Vegas also met with reporters regarding the County Commissioners’ vote limiting residential pools to 600 square feet. They then traveled to a pool under construction and talked about the impact the new rules would have on pool construction.

The pool industry has been making a desperate and concerted effort to alert the public as well as trade professionals that drastic changes are being proposed in light of the drought. Pool Magazine first began discussing the drought back in September of last year when it first became apparent that laws were being proposed that would directly impact the industry. Mainstream news outlets have been slow to pick up on the fact that the drought has legislators changing laws in favor of draconian water-saving measures that will hinder multiple industries.

Karey Zimmerman, architectural manager at Aspire Design Studio says he wishes he would have gotten the news sooner. With at least 10 projects currently under development that may need to be redesigned, Zimmerman said he “knew nothing about the proposed regulation” until just recently. Given that the home and pool permitting process can take months for approval, he has legitimate concerns that these projects won’t meet the Sep. 1 deadline.

“We have clients that have spent thousands and thousands of dollars in design work and now we’ve got to go back because in many instances these are designed to balance around pools.”, Zimmerman told news sources.

Are New Laws Coming To Your City Next?

That the news has come too late to effect meaningful change in time to stop legislation simply means that the industry has more work to do. It also means that the industry has its work cut out so far as changing public perception is concerned.

Still, many are working tirelessly to stop new rules from being implemented that will prevent pools from being filled as well as other measures. These new laws will undoubtedly hurt the industry in areas affected by the drought.

The new changes in Nevada will take place this year. With many cities looking to institute new water saving measures, it may not be very long before we see another major metropolitan area look to follow suit. This in itself illustrates how important of an issue the drought is and how quickly it can polarize the industry in a given city.