“I know that California has got a nightmare on [its] hands right now,” says Pat Mulroy, former general manager for the Southern Nevada Water Authority and now a Brookings nonresident senior fellow, in this podcast taped just as California announced statewide water restrictions. Mulroy, who has been called “the water empress of Vegas,” discusses a path forward in California’s crisis; explains why criticizing the Bellagio fountain’s water use is misplaced; reflects on how she got into the water business in the first place; and offers insights from her experience on how communities can cooperate on water issues. “We in this country have no idea how fortunate we are,” she says. “We are a small minority around the world that actually has reliable 24/7 water.” (Hoover Dam photo by Sareen Hairabedian) Show Notes: Video about Pat Mulroy (YouTube) Longtime Vegas water czar warns other cities to brace for climate change Pat Mulroy’s bio at UNLV’s Boyd School of Law Subscribe to the Brookings Cafeteria on iTunes, listen on Stitcher, and send feedback email to [email protected].