Groundwater Fee and Billing
To fund activities to protect the Las Vegas groundwater basin, the Nevada Legislature initiated an annual fee for well users. The SNWA distributes bills for the annual groundwater management fee to well owners and groundwater permit holders in the Las Vegas basin in late summer of each year.

• For domestic wells (a well that serves only one home) the fee is $30 per year
• For all other types of wells the fee is $30 per acre-foot of permitted water use per year

Approximately 60 percent of the fees are paid by municipal water purveyors and other government entities—the largest water right holders in the valley.

Where does the money go?
Revenue from the mandatory fee provides funding for the Groundwater Management Program to:

• Help stabilize the water table through the permanent recharge program
• Prevent groundwater contamination
• Encourage well owners to properly plug unused wells
• Provide financial assistance to help well users who are required by the Nevada State Engineer  to connect to a municipal water system or who volunteer to connect to the system
• Provide well users with conservation incentives and rebates

Who manages the money?
The Southern Nevada Water Authority manages the fee and its collection. As well users learn about the program, its value becomes apparent -- stabilizing groundwater, aquifer protection and financial help that will dramatically cut the cost of connection for well users, should they ever have to connect to municipal water.