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M.U.D. a small water user in the State of Nebraska
by Jerry Radek, M.U.D. general manager

A recent Omaha World-Herald (August 12) article, "Drought Puts a Big Dent in Big Mac," led readers to believe public water suppliers, such as the Metropolitan Utilities District (M.U.D.), are significant water users within this state.

Here are the facts according "Estimated Water Use in Nebraska 1995," by the Nebraska Natural Resources Commission.

  • The average water use in 1995 for the entire state was 25,241 million gallons per day.
  • Irrigation comprised 93% of the total estimated groundwater use in the state.
  • Municipal water use comprised 4% of the total estimated groundwater use.
  • Municipal water use comprised 0.3% of the total estimated surface water use.

M.U.D. gets its water from the Missouri and Platte Rivers. In 1995, we served 500 thousand people or 31% of the state's total population. Here are other facts:

  • In 1995, the District pumped an average of 93 million gallons of water per day or approximately .04% of all water used. In 1999, the average was 91.5 million gallons per day.
  • In 1995, an average of 43 million gallons per day was pumped from the Platte River. This equates to 0.2% of all water used that year.

These statistics show that M.U.D. is a very small consumer of the state's water resources, particularly the Platte River.

Today, M.U.D. serves more than 600 thousand people and has an immediate need to build a third water treatment facility to satisfy the demands created by the growing population and expanding economy which has occurred and continues to occur in the metro Omaha area.

The proposed Platte West facility will ensure a reliable, high quality water supply for the next 30 years. The $278.5-million facility, planned for construction at 216th & Q Sts., will add 100 million gallons of water per day to our peak day pumping capacity, bringing the total to 334 million gallons per day.

According to draft Environmental Impact Statement for the Platte West Project (January, 1999), the impact of the new facility on the Platte River will be minimal. At average flows during periods of high pumpage, the surface elevation is expected to be lowered by less than three-tenths (0.3) of an inch.

The District will continue to be a small water user while providing a reliable, high quality product to a third of the population of our great state.

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Water use in Nebraska

Summer water use in metro area

Construction Progress Photos

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