Many customers wonder how new homes, apartments and business developments get new water service. Projects must first receive approval from the City of Reno, City of Sparks or Washoe County. Then, to receive water service from TMWA, water rights must be purchased, usually on the open market. Before construction begins, those rights are dedicated to TMWA. For every acre-foot of water needed for a new development, TMWA requires an additional 11 percent (or 0.11 acre-foot) be provided for drought storage. TMWA holds all dedicated water rights in perpetuity for every building receiving water in its service territory.

Where do water rights come from? There are no new water rights. The total amount of water rights on the Truckee River was set in 1944 by the Orr Ditch Decree and has remained unchanged. Most water rights used for development in the Truckee Meadows are converted from agricultural to municipal use.

Note: Growth Pays for Growth. TMWA’s policy specifies a new project must pay for all added facilities, infrastructure and water rights before receiving water service. The TMWA Board of Directors instituted this policy shortly after TMWA was formed in 2001.