The city of Las Vegas will soon receive $98 million to replace its water treatment plants that were damaged in the Hermits Peak-Calf Canyon Fire more than two years ago, officials announced Tuesday afternoon.
The April 2022 wildfire, the largest in state history, caused mudslides and flooding that polluted the city’s water reservoirs and briefly turned the Gallinas River black as it flowed under a bridge into the city of 12,000. Congress appropriated nearly $4 billion to compensate families, businesses and governments for their losses from the blaze, which was caused by two botched state-prescribed fires.
The $3.95 billion includes $140 million specifically earmarked for the city of Las Vegas to repair its water systems. At a special City Council meeting on Tuesday, the city and the Federal Compensation Office, which administers the compensation fund, signed a memorandum of agreement that will allow the city to receive what is known as the “first installment” to fix its water problems.
Since the fires, there have been repeated floods in the burn scar and its surroundings, often affecting the city’s drinking water supply.
A major flood on June 21 caused extensive damage to infrastructure and prompted the city to restrict water supplies to homes and local businesses, including car washes and laundromats. The last of those restrictions was lifted a week ago.
After the June 21 floods, city officials said they recognized the “severity and complexity” of the situation and adopted a “new approach” to address the city’s water problems, based on recommendations from the Sulzer Group, a consulting firm hired by the city.
“While the original plan focused primarily on water treatment facility needs, the current administration recognized the need to expand its strategy,” the City of Las Vegas press release said. “This expanded approach now includes not only infrastructure repair and upgrades, but also a comprehensive reassessment of emergency protocols, flood protection systems, and community resilience efforts.”
“A significant milestone”
Previous water restrictions forced restaurants to serve food on plastic plates and bottled water. Residents regularly received notices in their mailboxes about possible contamination in the water supply. At one point in the summer of 2022, the city only had enough water for a few weeks.
Las Vegas Mayor David Romero did not respond to a request for comment Tuesday afternoon, but said in a news release that Tuesday was a “significant milestone for the city of Las Vegas and its future in water sustainability.”
In February 2023, the city received 2.6 million US dollars to pay for technical reports on the water system.
The memorandum A contract signed in the small town on Tuesday authorized the Federal Emergency Management Agency, which oversees the Hermits Peak-Calf Canyon Claims Office, to pay the town $98 million. That is the latest estimate of the cost of replacing water treatment facilities and systems, but it notes that “additional funding may be required” as planning is finalized and construction begins.
The city must submit a work plan and ensure that all payments are used exclusively for water treatment. The city and the Federal Claims Office will meet every 30 days in the future, according to the memorandum.
The memorandum does not specify when the process might be completed or how much work has already been done to complete the project, but it does call for a 12-month planning phase, a 23-month design phase, a three-month bidding phase and a 34-month construction phase – a total of six years.
Jay Mitchell, director of FEMA’s claims management office, which manages the nearly $4 billion compensation fund, said in a news release Tuesday that the funds will help the city find a sustainable and effective solution to the city’s long-term water needs.
“The project will provide the City of Las Vegas with access to clean, safe drinking water – an achievement that is critical to the health and well-being of its residents,” Mitchell said. “It is gratifying to see this initiative moving forward.”
