Nevada
Nevada sits in the Southwest and draws its water primarily from Colorado River (Lake Mead), groundwater, and Truckee River. With roughly 3.18 million residents, the state has an established water reuse program, reusing an estimated 60% of its treated wastewater.
Nevadawater quality & safety
Top violation drivers in Nevada
| Contaminant / rule | Systems |
|---|---|
| Groundwater Rule | 43 |
| LEAD AND COPPER RULE REVISIONS | 25 |
| Arsenic | 19 |
| Revised Total Coliform Rule | 15 |
| TTHM | 5 |
| Nitrate | 4 |
Source: EPA Safe Drinking Water Information System (SDWIS) · 2026 Q1 · health-based violations since 2016
Las Vegas recycles nearly all indoor water back to Lake Mead and has removed hundreds of millions of square feet of grass — a national model for the driest state.
On the U.S. Drought Monitor scale, Nevada currently tracks around severe to extreme conditions. Nevada has 232 community water systems serving about 3 million people; EPA records show 98 of them (42.2%) with a health-based Safe Drinking Water Act violation since 2016. The pages below break down the water issues that matter most here and the communities working on solutions.
Drought history — severe+ extent
% of Nevada in severe drought or worse (D2+) each late summer.
Source: U.S. Drought Monitor (NDMC/UNL, USDA, NOAA) · latest 2026-06-09
Water use (USGS 2015)
- Per-capita (public supply)
- 197 gpcd
- Total withdrawals
- 3.0 Bgal/d
- From groundwater
- 47.2%
- Irrigation share
- 69.7%
- Wastewater reused (est.)
- ~60%
Primary water sources
- ≈ Colorado River (Lake Mead)
- ≈ groundwater
- ≈ Truckee River
Common questions
Is tap water safe in Nevada?
Nevada has 232 community water systems serving about 3 million people. EPA records show 98 of them (42.2%) with at least one health-based Safe Drinking Water Act violation since 2016, and 3 system(s) over the federal lead action level. Most large systems meet standards; check your specific city and your utility's annual report.
What contaminants are most common in Nevada's water?
The most frequent health-based violations involve Groundwater Rule, LEAD AND COPPER RULE REVISIONS, Arsenic.
How much water does Nevada use per person?
Public water systems in Nevada withdraw about 197 gallons per person per day (USGS 2015), drawing 47.2% of fresh water from groundwater.
How bad is the drought in Nevada?
As of 2026-06-09, 80.7% of Nevada is in drought (D1+) and 43.5% is in severe drought or worse, per the U.S. Drought Monitor.
Cities in Nevada
10 trackedLas Vegas
The driest major metro in America recycles nearly all of its indoor water and has torn out hundreds of millions of square feet of grass to stretch a shrinking Colorado River allocation.
Henderson
Henderson, NV water profile — supply sources, drought status, wastewater reuse, and the key water issues facing the city.
Reno
Reno, NV water profile — supply sources, drought status, wastewater reuse, and the key water issues facing the city.
North Las Vegas
North Las Vegas, NV water profile — supply sources, drought status, wastewater reuse, and the key water issues facing the city.
Paradise
Paradise, NV water profile — supply sources, drought status, wastewater reuse, and the key water issues facing the city.
Sunrise Manor
Sunrise Manor, NV water profile — supply sources, drought status, wastewater reuse, and the key water issues facing the city.
Spring Valley
Spring Valley, NV water profile — supply sources, drought status, wastewater reuse, and the key water issues facing the city.
Enterprise
Enterprise, NV water profile — supply sources, drought status, wastewater reuse, and the key water issues facing the city.
Sparks
Sparks, NV water profile — supply sources, drought status, wastewater reuse, and the key water issues facing the city.
Carson City
Carson City, NV water profile — supply sources, drought status, wastewater reuse, and the key water issues facing the city.
Key issues in Nevada
Colorado River
The river that supplies 40 million people has lost roughly a fifth of its flow since 2000, forcing a renegotiation of how seven states share the water.
ExploreDrought
Much of the American West is in a multi-decade dry period that researchers describe as the most severe in over a millennium, reshaping how communities plan for water.
ExplorePotable Reuse
Advanced purification turns treated wastewater into water that meets or exceeds drinking-water standards — increasingly essential in water-stressed regions.
ExploreGroundwater Depletion
Aquifers from the Central Valley to the Ogallala are being pumped faster than they recharge, causing land subsidence and threatening long-term supply.
ExploreAnalysis featuring Nevada
Where Americans Use the Most Water
The states with the highest per-capita water use are clustered in the arid West — and the reasons say more about irrigation and lawns than about long showers.
Read analysisHow Las Vegas Made Tearing Out Grass a National Water Model
Southern Nevada's cash-for-grass program and ban on nonfunctional turf have become the playbook desert cities across the West are now copying.
Read analysisThe 2026 Colorado River Reckoning, Explained
Seven states must agree on how to share a shrinking river after 2026. Here's what's at stake for 40 million people.
Read analysisThe Colorado River's Oldest Water Rights Belong to Tribes
Native nations hold some of the most senior — and largest — claims on the river. After a century on the sidelines, they're shaping its future.
Read analysisCash for Grass: How Turf Rebates Conquered the West
The Las Vegas model — paying residents to tear out lawns — has become the most replicated water-conservation program in the arid United States.
Read analysis