CARSON CITY, Nev. (KLAS) — A Nevada Republican’s proposal would require a customer to ask a food establishment for water instead of automatically providing some but not impose a fine should the business not comply.
Republican Assem. Heidi Kasama’s proposal mirrors a similar law in effect since 2016 in California. Kasama represents portions of the far west Las Vegas valley, including Summerlin.
California’s law goes further, requiring other water conservation measures at hotels and involving landscape care. A similar law in Hawaii went into effect in 1992.
Kasama’s proposal, entered into the legislative record Monday, would require businesses to follow the measure, should it become law, through health department inspections.
Should the business not comply and offer the water without a request, no penalty would be levied.
The proposal was forwarded Monday to the Committee on Health and Human Services.
There is no federal law requiring restaurants to serve drinking water.
The southwest is experiencing a megadrought, forcing stressed supplies and cuts on the Colorado River, which feeds Lake Mead. The lake provides the majority of water for the Las Vegas valley.
Lake Mead’s water level is expressed in elevation. It was recorded at 1,048 feet on Monday – 40 feet lower than the same day in 2021. The lake was about one-quarter full as of Monday.
