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LAS VEGAS (AP) — Gov. Brian Sandoval on Friday told southern Nevada residents affected by a flash flood earlier this week that he's open to the idea of the state taking responsibility for a flood control project that Clark County officials rejected.
Sandoval made the remarks after he toured the Mt. Charleston subdivision where a muddy flash flood on Monday damaged homes and subjected dozens of residents to an order to boil water before drinking it.
"What I want to do is try to get this to an agreement so that we can start getting things fixed," Sandoval said, according to the Las Vegas Review-Journal.
Residents on the mountain say the damage is much worse this year because a wildfire last summer consumed vegetation and left the area prone to erosion.
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers offered to build an earthen barrier earlier this summer that could protect the homes from floods, but Clark County officials rejected the agreement because it required the county to assume legal liability for the berm.
County officials said they were willing to maintain and repair the barrier during its lifespan of seven to 10 years but didn't want the added liability. They have said they were open to negotiating with the Corps even after the original agreement fell through, the Review-Journal reported.
Water system damage from the Monday flood cut off service to some residents and required dozens of customers to boil water before drinking it or using it to wash dishes. The Las Vegas Valley Water District announced Friday that it had lifted the order after conducting water tests.
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