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Thursday, February 1, 2007

EBRA Is Likely to Back Water Plan

By Beth Hahn
Mountain View Telegraph
    EMW Gas Association's proposal to explore construction of a regional water system could get backing from the Estancia Basin Resource Association.
    EBRA held its annual meeting Jan. 24, where EMW briefed the group on the potential regional water pipeline.
    Exactly where the water would come from has not been detailed, although the company tentatively plans to deliver water to anyone who has natural gas service or who is willing to foot the bill to extend service to their homes.
    Although the association did not take an official vote on supporting EMW, president Art Swenka said the gas company's proposal is "the closest to taking care of the most people."
    Last fall, Austin-based WaterTexas made a similar proposal to EBRA. During the Jan. 24 meeting, Swenka said the Texas company's proposal always bothered him because the group could "just sell water to the highest bidder."
    The WaterTexas plan involves a desalination plant that would treat brine water on a ranch near Estancia with reverse osmosis before selling it. EMW's plan calls for buying excess water rights and using existing potable water.
    EMW is a natural gas company owned by Estancia, Moriarty and Willard. Because the company's natural gas pipeline already runs through most of Torrance County, it would serve area residents in much the same way it delivers natural gas to customers, said EMW board member Jim Schwebach.
    Schwebach described the regional water project to EBRA members and said the company is seeking legislative funding to conduct a feasibility study.
    The idea, Schwebach said, is to keep Estancia Basin water in the basin and to reduce strain on the aquifer by lowering the number of wells currently pumping water for municipal and residential use.
    By forming a regional water system, Schwebach said the number of individual homes using residential wells for water will decrease.
    A regional water system would help unincorporated areas with fire protection and could supply municipalities with water should a municipal well break down or go dry, Schwebach said.
    According to state law, once water has a dedicated use— agricultural, residential or municipal— it cannot be transferred to another geographical area, said Swenka.
    Swenka said he attended a regional water meeting in Albuquerque where other entities such as Albuquerque and Santa Fe presented plans to buy water rights in other basins for use in their municipalities.
    "The problem is, there's no laws that stop that (transfer)," he said.
    EMW board member and Estancia Mayor Martin Hibbs said a regional pipeline would deter water transfers out of the Estancia Basin.
    "This will help the basin prove it needs the water," he said.
    Additionally, Hibbs said officials in the State Engineer Office, which is in charge of the state's water and monitoring water projects, agreed that a regional water system such as EMW's plan is a good idea.
    "It's a good step toward uniting efforts and keeping our water from exportation," Hibbs said.
    If the state Legislature agrees to fund EMW's study, the money could be in place by July 1.