A class-action lawsuit filed last week seeks to challenge a controversial water-use fee that the Las Vegas Valley Water District has said is an attempt to rein in the valley’s top water-wasters. Attorneys argue that the district’s excessive use fees generated at least $96 million in agency revenue that should be returned to ratepayers. Tens of thousands of Las Vegas residents could join the lawsuit and potentially recover the penalty they paid for using too much water per the policy, according to a legal complaint. … Officials have said the goal of the program is to help identify leaks and reduce community water usage as drought in the Colorado River Basin and the outlook of Lake Mead worsen every year. 

Other water conservation news:

• Sierra Sun (Truckee, Calif.): TDPUD launches water conservation campaign in response to new California mandate