Carson City levies groundwater basin assessments, advances FY2027 utility budgets

Carson City levies groundwater basin assessments, advances FY2027 utility budgetsThe Carson City Board of Supervisors has approved a $28,000 special assessment to fund state-level monitoring of the Eagle Valley and Dayton Valley groundwater basins, while confirming its water and wastewater enterprise funds meet all required financial policies.

The board approved $28,000 in special assessments for FY2027 to fund the Nevada State Engineer's supervision of local groundwater basins.

The levy includes $24,000 for the Eagle Valley Groundwater Basin and $4,000 for the Dayton Valley Groundwater Basin.

State supervision activities funded by the assessment include water level measurements, aquifer tests, well driller inspections, and pumpage inventories.

The city's water, sewer, and stormwater enterprise funds successfully met all financial policies during a review by the Utility Finance Oversight Committee.

The Carson City Board of Supervisors approved a measure on April 16, 2026, to levy special assessments on taxable property to fund state-administered supervision of local groundwater resources for the 2026-2027 fiscal year. The assessments, requested by the Nevada Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, total $28,000. This includes $24,000 allocated for the Eagle Valley Groundwater Basin and $4,000 for the Dayton Valley Groundwater Basin. The collections are pass-through funds that will be remitted quarterly to the state. According to the State Engineer's office, the funds are required to cover necessary expenses for groundwater basin supervision. Supported activities include special studies, water level measurements, crop and pumpage inventories, field investigations, aquifer tests, and well driller inspections. The groundwater levy was approved alongside the city's broader Fiscal Year 2027 tentative budget and Fiscal Year 2027-2031 Capital Improvement Plan. During the budget presentation, Chief Financial Officer Sheri Russell-Benabou noted that water, sewer, and stormwater utilities represent the city's third-largest expenditure category across all funds. Russell-Benabou also confirmed to the board that the city's enterprise funds had been reviewed by the Utility Finance Oversight Committee prior to the meeting, noting that all financial policies were successfully met. The final budget adoption is scheduled for a public hearing on May 21, 2026.