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The Watergen atmospheric water generator installed at the MGM Grand, Las Vegas towers behind it
Case Studies

Case Study · USA · Las Vegas

Recovering Water in Las Vegas

SNWA, MGM Resorts International, F1 Las Vegas and WaterStart partnered to pilot Watergen technology at the MGM Grand — recovering the water its cooling towers lose to the air.

01 · The Challenge

The Strip runs on cooling water

Las Vegas cools itself by evaporating water. Commercial cooling is the second-largest water consumer in Southern Nevada, with around a thousand evaporative systems working across the valley — and every one of them loses water to the air as it runs.

For a resort the size of the MGM Grand, that loss is continuous. The question the partners set out to answer: can it be captured back?

~1,000

evaporative cooling systems operate across the Las Vegas Valley

02 · The Solution

Capture the water before it’s lost

In November 2023, ahead of the first Las Vegas Grand Prix, an atmospheric water generator built on Watergen technology was installed at the MGM Grand — attached directly to the resort’s evaporative cooling tower. Instead of harvesting humidity from the open air, it captures the warm, moisture-rich exhaust rising off the tower and condenses it back into water for the system.

The Southern Nevada Water Authority, MGM Resorts International, F1 Las Vegas and WaterStart partnered on the pilot — a combination of technologies its builders describe as existing nowhere else.

Filmed by the Southern Nevada Water Authority at the MGM Grand

03 · The Outcome

Seven times the race’s needs

The unit recovers up to 4,800 liters a day — a peak MGM itself has put on record. Within its first year it had returned more than 750,000 liters to the cooling system — around seven times the water the Las Vegas Grand Prix uses annually to keep its circuit clean.

That surplus supports the race’s stated ambition: to become the first net-zero water consumption event in Formula 1 history.

The AWG Project — filmed by F1 Las Vegas

04 · The Validation

Reported live by the water authority

The Southern Nevada Water Authority — the region’s own water utility — runs the pilot, films it and publishes its numbers. The authority has validated the installation as a water-positive solution, and the results are reported in public, from its own channels.

Southern Nevada Water Authority post announcing the atmospheric water generator live at the MGM Grand
@SNWA_H2O on X

Letter of Recommendation · October 12, 2026

“We are pleased to recommend Watergen.”

MGM Resorts InternationalLas Vegas, Nevada, USA

October 12, 2026

Letter of Recommendation

To Whom It May Concern,

MGM Resorts International is pleased to express its satisfaction with Watergen and its atmospheric water generation technology, which has been implemented at MGM Grand in Las Vegas, Nevada.

As part of an innovative initiative conducted in collaboration with the Southern Nevada Water Authority, WaterStart, and other project partners, Watergen’s GEN-L atmospheric water generation system was installed at MGM Grand’s Central Plant Yard and integrated with an existing cooling tower. The objective was to evaluate the system’s ability to recover water from the cooling tower’s warm, humid exhaust air and reuse it as makeup water, contributing to more efficient and sustainable water management.

Since its installation, the Watergen GEN-L system has continued to operate in conjunction with our cooling tower, producing water and demonstrating the practical value of this innovative solution in a real-world commercial environment. We are pleased with the system’s ongoing operation and its ability to continue generating water as part of our existing facility infrastructure.

During the initial pilot period in November and December 2023, the system produced approximately 20,133 gallons of water. During its most productive six-day period, it achieved an average daily production of approximately 1,090 gallons, with peak daily production reaching 1,280 gallons. These results were recorded during the cooler months, when atmospheric water generation conditions were not always optimal. This demonstrates the system’s high efficiency and reliable water production capabilities across a range of temperatures, including colder conditions, rather than only in hot climates.

Beyond the initial pilot results, the continued operation of the system highlights the potential of Watergen’s technology to provide a practical and innovative approach to water recovery. By utilizing the warm, humid air discharged from our cooling tower, the system creates an opportunity to recover water that would otherwise be released into the atmosphere and return it to our water system.

We appreciate Watergen’s technology and the integration of the GEN-L system with our existing infrastructure demonstrates how atmospheric water generation can be applied in large commercial facilities and may offer valuable opportunities for organizations seeking innovative water management solutions.

Based on our experience with this installation, we recognize the value of Watergen’s technology and its potential to support hospitality, entertainment, and other commercial and industrial environments.

We are pleased to recommend Watergen as a technology provider in the field of atmospheric water generation and water recovery.

Sincerely,

Michael Dickson

Central Plant Manager, MGM Grand

MGM Resorts International

Las Vegas, Nevada, USA

This project sets a new aspiration for global motorsports.

Renee WilmCEO, Las Vegas Grand Prix

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