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A. C. Grant asked if there would he any possibility of forming a water district in the areaT for the purpose of de­veloping new sources of water, and Smith declared that some investigation along this line had been made and that a water district probably would be necessary for such a pro­ject. In answer to R. B .Griffith’s question regarding the policy of the state engineer’s office well drilling permits, Shamberger said that these rights would be j taken by the priority of appli-j cation, but there was no thought of stopping the drilling of wells. He warned against over-develop­ment of water in the area “be-, cause we may destroy what wei have now.” Leo A. McNamee declared that the situation was not entirely pessimistic but that the water ! company felt that drastic con-; • servation Was necessary to as- I sure plenty of water for the pres- ; Sent population. He pointed out | the tremendous, increase in the I use of water in the past two I years citing that the consump- . Ition in July and August of 1944 | jumped three million gallons p er) I day over that consumed during the same months in 1943. j He said that the protests • against the drilling of wells in | the valley had been filed to ! make the residents of this area conservation conscious and , that “from the looks of this jj meeting today, the protest i brought the desired results.” i He said that as .long as the community did not exceed 25,- 000 in population there was ample water, and that this water' S could supply ordinary industry fas well. The. cushion, he said, f has not been "reached as yet; F. O. Case reported that the ;BMI system would not be avail­able for some time because the {chlorine and caustic portions of I the plant would continue to run j and would use the water being I brought in from Lake Mead. 1 I Strong declared that the Union j Pacific railroad probably would ; I have no objections to relinquish- S. l ing the present water system in I Las Vegas if a reliable agency j desired to take it over and pay | a fair price for the equipment. ' However, this problem would have to be referred to the ex-j ecutives of the company. The meeting was closed on the I recurring note that meter? in the city of Las Vegas would aid tremendously in conserving water in the area, and that new sources of supplies should be 1 developed.