New Water Supplies

With projections of 25% less water available in 50 years, we must develop new sources of water while we conserve and protect our freshwater resources. Technological advances continue to make water treatment safer and more economically viable. This includes safely tapping and treating ancient underground reserves of brackish water to remove salt and other naturally occurring constituents, as well as the treatment of wastewater from industrial processes to remove harmful pollutants so the treated water may be used to offset demand for freshwater.
With projections of 25% less water available in 50 years, we must develop new sources of water while we conserve and protect our freshwater resources. Technological advances continue to make water treatment safer and more economically viable. This includes safely tapping and treating ancient underground reserves of brackish water to remove salt and other naturally occurring constituents, as well as the treatment of wastewater from industrial processes to remove harmful pollutants so the treated water may be used to offset demand for freshwater.

New Mexico will become the first state in the country to establish a State Strategic Water Supply through a program that offers advanced market commitments to mitigate market risks through State commitments to purchase treated water from selected projects to build new desalination plants and produced water treatment plants in New Mexico. Depending on the quality of the treated water and associated regulatory standards, the State would be able to use or sell the auxiliary water for a range of specfied purposes, for example, recharge a depleted freshwater aquifer with desalinated brackish water or use treated wastewater to develop and store renewable energy. In other words, among other benefits, we will better meet the water demands of our clean energy transition without reducing the availability of freshwater for human consumption, growing crops and raising livestock, and cultural and ecological purposes.

Our policy innovations will spur huge capital investments in new water treatment infrastructure and help to accelerate ongoing research and development for inland desalination and produced water treatment and reuse. In addition, the priority actions below demonstrate our commitment to ensuring each new investment in new sources of water is grounded in strong science and data and subject to regulatory frameworks that protect public health and foster accountability. As we expand utilization of a wider range of water resources and continue to conserve, it is important to closely monitor existing groundwater supplies. Building a dedicated water resource monitoring network will help New Mexico track the impacts of our water management decisions, thereby better informing state, tribal and local water managers for decades to come.

B1
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Establish a $500M strategic water supply to spur investments in desalination and wastewater treatment

B2
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Adopt policies to expand potable and nonpotable water reuse

B3
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Improve groundwater mapping and monitoring

Recent Highlights

B1: 2025 Strategic Water Supply Grant Applications Closed

2025 Strategic Water Supply Grant Applications closed on September 8, 2025. Grant applicants included:
  • Alamo Navajo School Board, Inc.
  • Arrowhead Center at New Mexico State University
  • City of Deming
  • City of Jal
  • Doña Ana County
  • Mesa Partners New Mexico Operating LLC
  • New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology
  • Pueblo of Jemez/Natural Resources Department
  • Pueblo of Laguna
  • Southwest Salt Company Looking to Partner with Eddy County NM or other agencies
  • The Village of Cuba, New Mexico
  • University of New Mexico
Funding awards will be announced in December 2025.
Learn more about the Strategic Water Supply Fund

B3: Pecos Slope Groundwater Storymap

The Pecos Slope region of southeast New Mexico encompasses diverse terrain. The Roswell Artesian Basin in the Pecos River Valley is one of the most intensively farmed areas in the state. The principal crops are alfalfa, cotton, sorghum, chiles, and pecans. The primary population centers of Ruidoso, Roswell, and Artesia, rely primarily on groundwater for municipal and economic needs. Surface water from the Pecos River is used to support threatened and endangered species, such as the Pecos Bluntnose Shiner, but is otherwise conserved for downstream users in Carlsbad, NM. 
Explore Storymap
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    B1: Establish a $500M strategic water supply to spur investments in desalination and wastewater treatment

    Establish the State Strategic Water Supply with $500 million reserved during 2024 and 2025 for New Mexico to apply toward purchases of water that can be used for everything from community water supply to building our clean energy economy. The State’s program for “advanced market commitments” will reduce risk for private companies lookingto build desalination and produced water treatment facilities to convert brackish groundwater and oil and gas sector wastewater to valuable resources. These nonrenewable additional sources of water will greatly bolster water security by addressing near and long-term future water supply needs without increasing demand on the State’s diminishing freshwater resources.

    B1: The ROI Goal

    By 2028, 100,000-acre-feet of new water is available for State use and resale for clean energy production, storage and manufacturing and for other zero-discharge industrial processes. By 2035, 50,000-acre-feet of treated brackish water is available and/or applied to active projects to recharge freshwater aquifers and otherwise augment the supply of freshwater for communities, farms, aquatic ecosystems, and interstate compact compliance.

    B1: Progress

    Brackish Water Treatment Timeline

    January - April 2025

    The Strategic Water Supply Act (NMSA 72-12C-1 et seq.) established the Strategic Water Supply (SWS) Program as a way to protect New Mexico’s freshwater resources through the development and management of brackish water.

    August - December 2025

    Nearly $40M in grant/contract funding was announced in August 2025. Funding award announcements are scheduled for December 2025.

    2028

    100,000-acre-feet of new water is available for State use and resale

    2035

    100 new dedicated monitoring wells
      Learn more about the Strategic Water Supply by watching this short video.
      Visit the Strategic Water Supply Program Page.
      Explore the 2024 Strategic Water Supply Feasibility Study.
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      Immediate Next Steps

      Putting The Plan Into Action

      B1: Establish a $500M strategic water supply
      B2: Adopt policies to expand water reuse
      B3: Improve groundwater mapping and monitoring
      B1: Establish a $500M strategic water supply
      B2: Adopt policies to expand water reuse
      B3: Improve groundwater mapping and monitoring