Our Story

The Eastern New Mexico Rural Water System (ENMRWS) is a regional rural water supply project designed to provide potable water to several communities, including the City of Clovis, Cannon Air Force Base, City of Portales, City of Texico, and Town of Elida. The pipeline system will replace the dwindling groundwater supply from the Ogallala Aquifer with a renewable source from Ute Reservoir.

Ute Reservoir was created by the State of New Mexico as a result of the Canadian River Compact to ensure a sustainable water supply for the region. By utilizing Ute Reservoir, the Ogallala Aquifer can recover from years of over- extraction. While the reservoir holds 200,000 acre-feet of water, the ENMRWS is allocated 16,415 acre-feet annually. However, the reservoir has an annual firm yield of 24,000 acre-feet.

The Eastern New Mexico Water Utility Authority’s (ENMWUA), membership comprised of City of Clovis, Town of Elida, City of Portales, and the City of Texico, is overseeing this critical project. The pipeline addresses water scarcity and will contribute to the region's economic development, environmental sustainability, and future growth.

The pipeline is currently under construction with the estimated completion year being 2031. A significant portion of the project is funded by the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IJA), demonstrating federal support for this critical infrastructure initiative. The State of New Mexico and the ENMWUA membership are also funding contributors to the project.

For more information on the project, visit our FAQ’s page!

Schedule of Future Board Meetings

REGULAR MEETING

Next Meeting Date: Thursday, October 24, 2024.

The meeting will begin at 3:00 pm

Where: Portales Memorial Building, 200 E. 7th Street, Portales NM, 88130.