Beatty Board Advances Updated Source Water Plan, Firefighter Stipends

The Beatty Town Advisory Board moved to forward a substantial revision of the Community Source Water Protection Plan to the Nye County Commission after a review at its December 12 meeting. Funded through the Nevada Integrated Source Water Protection Program, the update is the county's first major revision to the plan since 2012 and adds three wells to Beatty's source inventory, including one planned well and two existing wells now formally recognized for protection measures.

The revision identifies local contamination risks that could threaten groundwater and drinking supplies. Noted risks include underground storage tanks, automotive repair shops, fertilizer application, septic systems, and ongoing mining operations. The plan ties source protection to practical actions completed to date, such as integrating the protection plan into the Area Plan and expanding community participation in household hazardous waste and pharmaceutical disposal programs.

Board members outlined next steps intended to strengthen preparedness and oversight. Planned efforts include first responder training for incidents affecting water sources, updated protection mapping to better locate and classify at risk wells, and consideration of ordinances addressing obsolete solar facilities that could pose environmental hazards if left unmanaged. The board voted to recommend the updated plan for county adoption, leaving final approval to the Nye County Commission and potentially shaping future permitting and land use decisions.

In a separate but related action the board approved a stipend program for volunteer firefighters, with funding included in the fiscal year 2026 budget. The move recognizes the role of volunteer emergency personnel in responding to contamination incidents, leaks, and other threats to public safety in rural communities.

For Beatty residents the update elevates the role of source protection in local planning and creates new compliance and preparedness expectations for businesses and property owners. Formal adoption by the county could lead to targeted monitoring, additional public education on hazardous waste disposal, and regulatory measures that link water protection to development and remediation projects. The board's actions underscore the intersection of environmental stewardship and public safety in Nye County governance.