Casino Resorts: Busting the Myths About Water Usage on The Strip
Casino Resorts: Uncovering the Truth Behind Las Vegas Water Usage
- Myth: Las Vegas Strip casinos use far too much water.
- Fact: Most of the water used is recycled and reused.
- Fact: Owners of major Strip properties rank among the city’s biggest water users.
The casino resorts on the Las Vegas Strip comprise a staggering 40 out of the top 50 commercial water users in the Las Vegas Valley Water District (LVVWD). Specifically, the top five users include The Venetian at 515 million gallons, Mandalay Bay at 507 million, Caesars Palace at 480 million, MGM Grand at 382 million, and Bellagio at 364 million gallons per year. Collectively, these properties pumped over 2.2 billion gallons in 2023, accounting for 80% of the region’s commercial water consumption.
While this data seems to confirm the stereotype that Las Vegas has little regard for its desert environment, a deeper look reveals that it only equates to 6.3% of the area’s total water use for that year. Moreover, a significant portion—between 70% to 80%—of this water (approximately 1.54 to 1.76 billion gallons) flows back to Lake Mead for filtration and treatment, marking the Strip resorts as not just the largest users of water, but also the top recyclers in the region.
Interestingly, while about 20% to 30% of the water from Lake Mead does evaporate from various uses like golf courses, pools, and artificial canals, the return rate for indoor water usage is nearly 100%.
“You could turn on every tap and flush every toilet in every hotel room on the Strip without significantly drawing from the Colorado River,
