Alfred Merritt Smith Water Treatment Facility – 1971

On June 2, 1971, the Alfred Merritt Smith Water Treatment Facility (AMSWTF) opened, capable of treating and distributing up to 400 million gallons of potable water a day to the Las Vegas Valley. Until 1970, Southern Nevada had drawn all of its drinking water from ground wells tapped in the Old Las Vegas Springs. AMSWTF is located next to Lake Mead Near Saddle Island. When the springs dried-up, unable to keep pace with the region’s growth, the Las Vegas Valley Water District decided to draw water from Lake Mead.  Today, improvements over the years to the facility has enhanced the plant’s reliability and increased capacity to be able to treat 600 million gallons a day.