CLOVIS, NM—The Eastern New Mexico Water Utility Authority (ENMWUA) has received for consideration of approval a United States Bureau of Reclamation (USBR) Grant Agreement titled “Eastern New Mexico Rural Water System (ENMRWS) Completion” in the amount of $672,365,830.00.
This agreement is for constructing the remaining portions of the ENMRWS. Also, to be considered for approval are amendments to existing agreements for Finished Water 1 (FW1) and Finished Water 3 (FW3) that add additional funds to the awards and include added language for Build America, Buy America, and wage rate terms. The Special Board meeting will be held on Thursday September 29, 2022, 3:00 pm at the Clovis Carver Library, Ingram Room in Clovis.
The Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) passed by Congress early last year and signed by the President on November 15, 2021, has allowed for funding of the Eastern New Mexico Rural Water System that will supply a renewable potable water supply from Ute Reservoir to its member communities of Clovis (includes Cannon Air Force Base), Portales, Texico, and Elida.
The IIJA earmarked $1 billion toward completing the federally authorized Rural Water Projects under the United States Bureau of Reclamation. The ENMWUA is among the recipients receiving funding to complete construction of the ENMRWS. Funding percentages are 75% Federal, 15% State, and 10% ENMWUA membership.
The Federal funding along with State and ENMWUA membership funding advances the construction of the ENMRWS which includes approximately 110 miles of transmission pipeline and laterals, two raw water pump stations, one smaller finished water pump station, and a water treatment plant. The ENMWUA began ramping up efforts on July 1st of this year with all remaining components of the ENMRWS. Activity is now occurring on all components of the ENMRWS.
ENMWUA Chairman and Mayor of Clovis Michael Morris expressed his gratitude for the federal funding through the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act. “This Federal funding combined with the State and ENMWUA membership non-federal match, we now can complete this critically important project that will bring water security, and opportunity for growth and prosperity to our member communities and eastern New Mexico.”
ENMWUA Vice Chairman and Mayor of Portales Ron Jackson commented, “This has been years in the making and many people involved, past and present. We have a renewed hope that this pipeline project will be completed by the end of this decade.”
The Eastern New Mexico Rural Water System is a regional rural water supply project in east-central New Mexico federally authorized in 2009. The purpose of the project is to provide potable water to four city member agencies and Cannon Air Force Base for municipal, commercial, and industrial use from a renewable surface water supply at Ute Reservoir. The ENMWUA was enacted by the New Mexico State Legislature effective July 1, 2010. The member communities are Clovis (includes Cannon Air Force Base and portions of Curry County), Portales (includes portions Roosevelt County), Texico, and Elida.
