46th legislature - STATE OF NEW MEXICO - first session, 2003

REQUESTING THE OFFICE OF THE STATE ENGINEER AND THE INTERSTATE STREAM COMMISSION TO ASSIST THE APPROPRIATE COMMITTEE OF THE LEGISLATURE TO DEVELOP LEGISLATION FOR THE ORDERLY APPROPRIATION OF NONPOTABLE GROUND WATER FOR TREATMENT AND USE FOR DOMESTIC AND MUNICIPAL SUPPLIES.

WHEREAS, water is critical to the economy of New Mexico and the well-being of its citizens; and

WHEREAS, many areas of the state lack sufficient freshwater supplies to meet future needs, especially for drinking water that is provided to customers of public water systems, including those of municipalities and counties; and

WHEREAS, within the state, there are known to be large sources of underground water, whose poor quality has heretofore made them unusable but that are likely, with the advent of cost-effective desalination and other technologies, to become a vital source for domestic and municipal supplies; and

WHEREAS, an orderly process should be developed to allow forty-year planning entities, as described in Section 72-1-9 NMSA 1978, to secure and use such underground water, consistent with good regional and state water planning;

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF NEW MEXICO that the office of the state engineer and the interstate stream commission be requested to assist the appropriate committee of the legislature in devising legislation for the orderly appropriation of nonpotable ground water for treatment and use for domestic and municipal supplies; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that copies of this memorial be transmitted to the state engineer and the interstate stream commission.