Las Vegas’ travel and tourism industry received some good news and some bad news last week. First the good news. According to the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority, the city drew a record 39.2 million visitors in 2007, an almost 1 percent increase when compared to 2006. Now the bad news: A pair of researchers at the Scripps Institution of Oceanography, UC San Diego, reported that there is a 50 percent chance Lake Mead—the primary source of water for Lake Vegas—will run dry by 2021 if the climate continues to change as expected and future water usage is not curtailed.
Without Lake Mead and neighboring Lake Powell, the Colorado River system has no buffer to sustain the population of the Southwest through an unusually dry year, or worse, a sustained drought. The researchers concluded that the river system could run dry even if mitigation measures now being proposed are implemented. “We were stunned at the magnitude of the problem and how fast it was coming at us,” said research marine physicist Tim Barnett. “Make no mistake, this water problem is not a scientific abstraction, but rather one that will impact each and every one of us who live in the Southwest.”
Anyone who has seen recent photos of Lake Mead knows that the water level is down. There is a wide white ring around the lake where rock was once covered. Currently, the Colorado River system is only at half capacity because of a string of recent dry years. If you would like to read more about this, I have included a link to an article at the end of this column. So tell me, how should the U.S. lodging industry react to this news? Here are a few of my thoughts.
How Many Hotels are Too Many?
At some point, the industry has to realize that it cannot continue to build so many new hotels in the desert—especially ones the size of small towns. As of November 2007, Las Vegas had 44,000 hotel rooms in the pipeline. That number is just amazing to me, given what we know about limited resources in that part of the United States.
New projects should not be allowed to include expansive outdoor fountains, pools and ponds. New golf courses should be banned.
Hotel owners should be pressured, and eventually even required, if necessary, to implement linen and towel reuse programs and the following types of products: faucet aerators, low-flow showerheads, dual-flush toilets, waterless (or close to waterless) urinals, pre-rinse spray valves in kitchens, and water re-use systems in all kitchen and laundry operations. Rainwater harvesting should also be practiced as a way to minimize the amount of water used for plant and grass watering.
The Nevada Hotel & Lodging Assn. and the American Hotel & Lodging Assn. should lead efforts to educate hoteliers in Las Vegas and surrounding areas about water conservation. Provide water-saving collateral to hotel owners, operators and guests. Organize webinars, conferences, trade shows and other events that match up hoteliers with our industry’s leading makers of water conservation products. Work with local utilities to help create new incentive programs that reward proactive owners.
Travel Industry at Great Risk
The burden should not all be on the lodging industry in Las Vegas to reduce water consumption but it most definitely should carry a significant portion of the work load. What the researchers at the Scripps Institution of Oceanography are predicting is a crisis that will dramatically impact Las Vegas and its ability to sustain itself. Tens of thousands of jobs are at risk and the hotel industry could be devastated.
Will our industry take the dramatic steps necessary to reduce water demand? Or will it continue to build and build into oblivion? What do you think?
Click here to read more about the Las Vegas water crisis.
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As always, I can be reached at editor@greenlodgingnews.com.
