The Legislature declares that:

1. It is the policy of this State:

(a) To encourage and promote the use of effluent, where that use is not contrary to the public health, safety or welfare, and where that use does not interfere with federal obligations to deliver water of the Colorado River.

(b) To recognize the importance of domestic wells as appurtenances to private homes, to create a protectable interest in such wells and to protect their supply of water from unreasonable adverse effects which are caused by municipal, quasi-municipal or industrial uses and which cannot reasonably be mitigated.

(c) To encourage the State Engineer to consider the best available science in rendering decisions concerning the available surface and underground sources of water in Nevada.

(d) To encourage and promote the use of water to prevent or reduce the spread of wildfire or to rehabilitate areas burned by wildfire, including, without limitation, through the establishment of vegetative cover that is resistant to fire.

(e) To manage conjunctively the appropriation, use and administration of all waters of this State, regardless of the source of the water.

2. The procedures in this chapter for changing the place of diversion, manner of use or place of use of water, and for confirming a report of conveyance, are not intended to have the effect of quieting title to or changing ownership of a water right and that only a court of competent jurisdiction has the power to determine conflicting claims to ownership of a water right.

(Added to NRS by 1991, 296; A 1993, 2640; 2001, 551; 2005, 2560; 2009, 469; 2011, 1564; 2017, 3497)