Delivering long‑term water security to rural communities across eastern New Mexico

The Ogallala Aquifer is one of the largest aquifers in the world and a key water source for over two million people across multiple U.S. states. This includes rural eastern New Mexico, where communities and agriculture rely almost exclusively on the Ogallala for their water needs. 

The demand placed on this important resource, however, has outstripped the aquifer’s natural rate of replenishment, leading to steadily declining water levels that threaten water availability.

The Eastern New Mexico Water Utility Authority (ENMWUA) is working to address critical water shortages in eastern New Mexico with a $1.4 billion rural water supply system, which Jacobs has supported since 2005.

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 55,000 people in 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 declining Ogallala Aquifer with a renewable surface water supply.

Providing surface water to these remote communities requires an extensive water conveyance system that includes approximately 130 miles of lateral and transmission pipelines. The rural water system also includes a raw water intake structure at Ute Reservoir, three pump stations and a 28 million gallons per day (mgd) water treatment plant in Curry County.

Jacobs is currently completing the design of the entire Eastern New Mexico Rural Water System after receiving a contract amendment from ENMWUA in 2022. Jacobs previously supported earlier design work and provided on-site construction management for the raw intake structure and a portion of the water transmission line. 

The rural water system will incorporate digital tools, including Jacobs' Replica digital twin solution, to seamlessly connect different elements of the water supply system via a centralized data hub at the treatment plant. The application of Jacobs' digital suite has already provided significant cost savings by optimizing design of the pipeline and pump stations.

Recent progress on the project has been supported by federal funding from the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation, including through the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA). IIJA funding has allowed construction activity to quickly ramp up, reducing as much as 15 years from the project schedule. In 2023, construction began on a 15-mile portion of pipeline that will deliver water from the future water treatment plant to other completed pipelines and laterals. The client’s goal is for the project to be completed in 2031 and for the rural water system to be providing crucial potable water supply to member communities and Cannon Air Force Base by 2031.​