The Eastern New Mexico Water Utility Authority’s (ENMWUA’s) rural water supply system will have its remaining phases designed by engineering company Jacobs. The system will provide a renewable surface water supply to 55,000 people, as well as the Cannon Air Force Base, in eastern New Mexico.
The Eastern New Mexico Rural Water System will provide up to 16,415 acre-feet per year of treated surface water from Ute Reservoir to the cities of Clovis, Portales, Texico, the town of Elida, Cannon Air Force Base, and unincorporated areas in Roosevelt and Curry counties. The system will replace current groundwater withdrawals from the rapidly declining Ogallala Aquifer with a renewable surface water supply.
At an estimated cost of $940 million, the project includes a raw water intake structure, three pump stations, a 28 million gallons per day water treatment plant in Curry County and approximately 140 miles of water conveyance pipelines.
"Jacobs has served as a trusted advisor to ENMWUA since 2005, and we continue that relationship and commitment as we advance the final design phase of this critical water supply project," said Ron Williams, a general manager and senior vice president for Jacobs. "Providing a renewable water supply to rural communities in a drought-afflicted region aligns with our commitment to climate response, while the opportunity to utilize our Digital OneWater data solutions will deliver added value for our project partner."
Jacobs has already supported ENMWUA with earlier design work for the rural water supply system and provided on-site construction management for the raw intake structure and a portion of the water transmission line. After the project received $160 million in funding this year from the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA), design will now be finalized for the remaining phases, including the water treatment plant, which will be constructed over the next five to eight years.
The project will incorporate digital tools, including Jacobs' Replica Digital Twin, to connect different elements of the water supply system via a centralized data hub at the treatment plant.
"The receipt of IIJA funding through the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation allows us to accelerate the design and construction of the rural water supply system," said ENMWUA Project Administrator Orlando Ortega. "The combined funding we're receiving this year from the federal government, the State of New Mexico and local communities represents the project's largest annual allocation to date."
