New Mexico is getting hotter, dryer. Will government funding protect state from drought?

Drought continued to impact regions throughout New Mexico into the spring fire season as temperatures heated up, but little precipitation was expected.

About 88 percent of the state was at “moderate drought” conditions as of Feb. 20, according to the U.S. Drought Monitor, with another 47 percent in “extreme drought.”

The worst drought conditions were reported in southeast New Mexico, where 73 percent of Eddy County was under “exceptional drought” the highest class reported by the Monitor.

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That could mean no surface water for agriculture, the monitor read, and wildfire danger.

New Mexico’s political leaders announced last week about $43 million in federal dollars would come to the state to help strengthen its water infrastructure through low-interest loans offered by the Environmental Protection Agency to local communities and municipalities.

The funds come from the Drinking Water and Clean Water state revolving funds, as part of a $50 billion nationwide appropriation through the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act passed in 2021.

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New Mexico Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham said more money was needed to help New Mexico respond to climate-change-induced aridification, choking the state’s water supplies and leaving it vulnerable to worsening wildfires.

Lujan Grisham released a 50-year water plan on Jan. 30 which expected New Mexico to lose 25 percent of its available freshwater in the next five decades, following a 2022 report the state commissioned from the New Mexico Bureau of Geology and Mineral Resources that forecast temperatures were likely to rise by an average of 5 to 7 degrees during that time.

Rainfall was not predicted to increase consistently, the report read, while snowpack and associated runoff were expected to decline by 2070, weakening stream flows.

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The plan in response will aim to see local water consumption reduced by 10 percent, and curb agricultural use by 20 percent, establishing a variety of programs to address impacts to water supplies throughout the state.

The EPA’s recent funding for New Mexico would be helpful for those efforts, Lujan Grisham said.

“This funding comes as our state continues to face unprecedented water challenges, as temperatures rise and precipitation decreases,” she said in response to the federal funds. “Thanks to the leadership of the Biden administration and the historic Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, our state will be better prepared for a changing climate and better positioned to protect and conserve our precious water resources.”

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New Mexico Environment Department Cabinet Secretary James Kenney said the funds would aid his agency in upgrading aging sewer lines and pipe systems in New Mexico communities.

NMED was also working to address widespread contamination from per- and polyfluorinated substances (PFAS) in New Mexico from Air Force bases and other industrial activities in the state, contaminants the EPA recently proposed to list federally as “hazardous materials” in response to a petition from New Mexico officials.

“These investments will connect more homes to sewer systems and remove them from aging septic systems, saving residents money and protecting our precious groundwater for years to come,” Kenney said.

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The EPA’s announcement was applauded by New Mexico’s all Democrat congressional delegation, with U.S. Sen. Martin Heinrich calling it an “historic” investment in water infrastructure from the federal government.

“Modernizing our water infrastructure is how we create economic security and opportunity for communities in New Mexico,” Heinrich said. “Together, these investments will allow New Mexicans to protect their homes from severe weather, keep families safe and healthy, and create a solid foundation for our communities to grow.”

The lawmakers touted local projects like a $350,000 upgrade to Village of Ruidoso’s Storm Water Master Plan last year via the infrastructure bill, along with an about $7.6 million expansion of Socorro’s city sewer system.

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“This is what investing in America truly looks like—giving communities the tools they need to make their lives better,” said U.S. Rep. Melanie Stansbury (R-NM).

At the state level, several water-related bills were passed by lawmakers during the 2024 Legislative Session that concluded Feb. 15.

This included House Bill 148, which authorized the New Mexico Finance Authority to issue loans and grants to 65 different municipal water projects that sought funds under the Water Project Finance Act passed in 2001.

HB 148 meant in Fiscal Year 2024 about $115.7 million was made available for the projects, with the amounts going to the projects to be determined by the Water Trust Board.

Adrian Hedden can be reached at 575-628-5516, achedden@currentargus.com or @AdrianHedden on the social media platform X.

This article originally appeared on Carlsbad Current-Argus: Drought funds coming to New Mexico from federal, state leaders