Water Conservation
New Mexico’s water conservation traditions have been shaped over the centuries by our Pueblos, Tribes, acequias, rural areas, and cities and we rely on those communities to continue to develop innovative ways to conserve water. It is essential that we take actions together to preserve and protect the unique traditions we have here in the State while we build a platform for future generations through additional water conservation measures tailored to the changing climate.
As we face diminished surface water and groundwater supplies in the coming decades, we can work together to prioritize actions that translate to decreased water use – even as we grow our communities and advance new industries, such as clean energy production and manufacturing and diversified crops. New Mexico’s farmers and ranchers produce products that are an essential element of the State’s food supply and the economy that forms the lifeblood of many of our rural communities. And, as the largest water users throughout the State, agricultural producers understand the need to conserve and protect the State’s water resources in order to sustain a vibrant agricultural sector for generations to come. As drought and other effects of climate change impact food production in the Southwestern U.S., having a secure, locally produced food supply will be increasingly critical for New Mexico’s future.
Over the coming decades, through implementation of the actions below and other parallel efforts, New Mexicans will conserve water through broader education on water issues and actions we take can do at home and work to preserve our most precious resource, as well as through adoption of new irrigation technologies and tools for sustainable agriculture and upgraded municipal water infrastructure. We will leverage unprecedented levels of federal funding, available through 2026 and beyond through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, the Inflation Reduction Act, the Farm Bill and other programs, for everything from fixing leaks in community drinking water distribution lines to upgrading dams, reservoirs and conveyance systems to ensure secure supplies with decreased water loss. In the first two years of BIL funding, New Mexico has already received over $800 million from federal agencies for water infrastructure investments, and we are just getting started.
New Mexicans have a strong track record of residential water conservation, as evidenced by trends in some of our largest cities; however, we know that we will need to continue to employ water conservation and education to enhance these positive trends as our communities grow and freshwater supplies decline.
Water Conservation Actions
Action: A1
Develop and implement New Mexico’s Water Education Template (“WET”), a statewide water education campaign, to inform all New Mexicans about the source of their water, what is at stake due to reduced supplies in future years, and how each individual can do their part to conserve.
Immediate Next Steps:
In 2024 and 2025 develop the statewide water education campaign for the general public and public schools, in conjunction with a statewide survey to establish baseline data related to the public’s understanding of water issues and personal actions to conserve water. In addition, continue to implement the Water Security Planning Act of 2023 to support rural and municipal efforts to increase water education and conservation through expanded water recycling, limitations on outdoor water use, and greater adoption of water efficient fixtures.
Return on Investment
By 2040, decrease water consumption in rural and municipal communities by 10% through the combination of water education, water planning, and local incentives for water conservation at homes and businesses.
Action: A2
Develop tools and policy incentives to expand water conservation and resilience in the agricultural sector through initiatives that increase producers’ voluntary adoption of high-efficiency irrigation technology (e.g., soil moisture sensors, remote controlled equipment, and application of satellite-based evapotranspiration data) and drought resilient, low water-demand crops.
Immediate Next Steps:
In 2024, expand outreach to farmers, agricultural businesses, and irrigation districts on all available state and federal funding to support costs associated with water conservation practices, including the State’s Healthy Soil Program and federal Farm Bill programs for efficient irrigation systems, voluntary crop conversion, and conservation practices. In 2025, continue to advocate for greater federal investments in water conservation research and development and establish State fiscal incentives, such as an economic development incentive program, and other programs developed in coordination with agricultural producers, including acequias, to make adoption of water conservation practices more affordable for New Mexico farmers. Starting in 2025, use regional water planning to identify programs and projects for state funding that will increase agricultural resilience and preserve landscape health while decreasing depletions on a basin-wide scale.
Return on Investment
By supporting producers to adapt farming and ranching to a future with less freshwater, decrease water use in the agricultural sector statewide by 10% by 2035 and 20% by 2050 while maintaining economic viability and protecting ecosystem services that benefit from crop irrigation.
Action: A3
Build and repair resilient public drinking water infrastructure to address water loss, thereby ensuring a greater volume of water is conserved and that safe and affordable drinking water is available in all communities. Today, some drinking water systems in New Mexico are losing 40-70% of all treated drinking water due to breaks and leaks throughout aging infrastructure, such as underground distribution pipes. Many of these problems stem from chronic underinvestment in the infrastructure and water workforce that communities rely upon for clean drinking water.
Immediate Next Steps:
In 2024, deploy innovative technology and remote sensing techniques to complete a statewide inventory of water loss across 1,000+ public water systems in New Mexico, including analysis of planned and active infrastructure projects, in order to quantify the extent of water loss and inform further investments in water conservation through federal and state funding.
Return on Investment
Decrease statewide water loss from public drinking water infrastructure by 25% by 2040 through routine and targeted projects to repair and replace failing and leaking pipes, pumps, hydrants and other facility components, saving municipalities and ratepayers millions of dollars while saving water.
Action: A4
Prioritize water management infrastructure improvements (e.g., dams and reservoirs) and operational efficiencies to meet future demands by developing agreements for flexible management options, continuing progress on completion of Indian Water Rights Settlements, repairing aging infrastructure (e.g., in tribal and acequia communities) and addressing critically important dam safety improvements, while ensuring that environmental flows and compliance will be part of our solutions. Seek and apply federal resources and funding to assist in the completion of many urgent infrastructure projects.
Immediate Next Steps:
Work with partners in 2024 and 2025 to repair and modernize existing infrastructure to improve water use efficiency savings, utilize naturally distributed storage where appropriate, and maximize operational flexibilities and surface water and groundwater storage opportunities to protect up to three-millionacre-feet of water per year for existing and future uses. In addition, establish tools and data to calculate a baseline for system-wide efficiency and to measure future change. In 2025, allocate dedicated state funding to accelerate projects that address infrastructure priorities, including over 70 deficient dams.
Return on Investment
By 2040, improve system-wide efficiency by 20% and develop additional infrastructure to meet future water supply needs for our communities.