Environment Cabinet Secretary James Kenney

NMED News:

• • • • • Governor’s 50-Year Water Action Plan to develop new water supplies

SANTA FE — The New Mexico Environment Department (NMED) released its final feasibility study for the Strategic Water Supply (SWS), marking a significant milestone in Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham’s groundbreaking initiative in support of the state’s 50-Year Water Action Plan.

“Our 50-Year Water Action Plan protects our drinking water, diversifies our water supply, and strengthens our economy as we face ongoing water challenges,” Gov. Lujan Grisham said. “This study shows we can—and must—safeguard our freshwater supply while establishing new sources of water for our growing economy.”

The SWS preserves freshwater for community drinking supplies by incentivizing the treatment of underutilized salt water for industrial applications.

Benefitting industries include hydrogen production, cement manufacturing, electric vehicle and battery manufacturing, solar panels and components, wind turbines, critical minerals, microchips, and data centers.

Examples of estimated freshwater savings per industry include:

• Advanced manufacturing (such as solar or automobile): 3.65 billion gallons of freshwater saved per manufacturer per year.
• Data Centers: Over 218 million gallons of freshwater saved per year.
• Cement for wind turbines installation: Estimated freshwater saving of 105,000 gallons of freshwater saved per wind turbine.

New Mexico is the first state in the U.S. to take this novel approach to water conservation, blazing a trail that many other states, especially those in the arid west, will likely utilize as water scarcity becomes a larger threat.

Multiple categories of proven and emerging technologies feature in the feasibility study, including reverse osmosis, thermal distillation, and innovative chemical treatment methods. The SWS positions New Mexico as a leading incubator and progressor of these technologies, bringing good-paying jobs for New Mexicans with them.

“To expand our economy and lower carbon emissions without protecting and saving our freshwater for communities would be a reckless effort,” Environment Cabinet Secretary James Kenney said. “Instead, New Mexico is meeting the moment for the generations of New Mexican families who will find employment in the industries that both solve climate change and ensure water security.”

NMED issued a Request for Information (RFI) on Jan. 19, 2024, seeking technical and economic information related to the sourcing, treatment, delivery, storage, and industrial uses of brackish water and produced water. The RFI closed on March 31, 2024, and the responses are posted on NMED’s Strategic Water Supply page.

In June 2024, NMED partnered with the New Mexico State University to host a symposium on the science of brackish and produced water treatment. The symposium, featuring researchers, advocates, and industry from around the country, focused on the state of technology, and fit-for-purpose uses for treated produced and brackish water.

Throughout 2024, NMED participated in three interim committees, discussed the SWS at 10 events — including industry conventions and academic summits — and conducted stakeholder outreach.

The final feasibility study presents a comprehensive analysis of the technical, economic, and environmental viability of the SWS.

Key take aways from the feasibility study are:

• The state’s major rivers will have up to 28% lower flow over the next 50 years and reduced surface and groundwater supplies are expected to result in a shortfall of 750,000 acre-feet, or 244 million gallons.
• Treating 1% of available brackish water resources annually could supply an estimated 10 million acre-feet of water.
• Regions that will benefit from the SWS include some of New Mexico’s largest population centers and biggest economic hubs, including Albuquerque, Santa Fe, and Santa Teresa, as well as broader regions like the San Juan Basin and the Permian Basin.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) and U.S. Bureau of Reclamation have dedicated funds to help enhance the country’s water infrastructure. Over $300 million are available in state and federal funding to finance projects focused on addressing water needs in New Mexico.

For more information about the Strategic Water Supply Feasibility Study or the Governor’s 50-Year Water Action Plan, visit NMED’s website here.