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 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. Our policy innovations 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

Establish a Strategic Water Supply to spur investments in treated brackish water development

B2

Adopt policies to expand potable and nonpotable water reuse

B3

Improve groundwater mapping and monitoring

Recent Highlights

B1: New Mexico announces $26 million for brackish water projects

2025 Strategic Water Supply Grant Awards:
In total, 13 grant applications requesting more than $94 million were submitted for consideration, along with $40 million in private sector contract proposals. The Governor’s fiscal year 2027 executive budget request will include additional funding to support future brackish water projects through the Strategic Water Supply.
Learn More

B3: Beginning to map New Mexico’s aquifers using airborne geophysics

In FY2025, the New Mexico Bureau of Geology and Mineral Resources (NMBGMR) at New Mexico Tech began to address the 50-Year Water Action Plan – action B3. With an initial state appropriation of $7.5M, new mapping and data collection is underway in 5 large regions of the state.

NMBGMR is launching a major new effort to better understand the state’s groundwater resources using geophysics, particularly airborne electromagnetic (AEM) surveys. AEM is a non-invasive geophysical method that uses low-flying aircraft equipped with specialized instruments that send weak electromagnetic signals into the ground. By measuring how the subsurface responds, combined with multiple other datasets, scientists can map variations in geology, aquifer structure, and groundwater quality down to 600 to 1500 ft (~200 to 450 m) below the land surface.

Learn more about AEM

    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

    B1: Treated Brackish Water Development 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

    $40M in grant/contract funding was announced in August 2025. Funding award announcements were announced in December 2025.

    2026

    $35 million for new grants and contracts in FY 2027

    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.
      Learn more about NMSU's Water Solutions Collaborative

      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