In 2019, water use in the metro area was 121 gallons of water per capita per day, about 700 million total fewer gallons than 2018.
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Where does the city of Albuquerque get its water?
Albuquerque relies on locally pumped groundwater as well as surface water imported from the Colorado River basin via the San Juan-Chama Project. The Albuquerque Bernalillo County Water Utility Authority is one of many agencies tasked with protecting the watersheds in which our local supply originates.
What aquifer does Albuquerque use?
The city of Albuquerque, with an average rainfall of 9.5 inches per year, began pumping water from the Santa Fe Group aquifer system in the early 1960s. As development grew, and the region entered into periodic stretches of drought, the aquifer’s water resources steadily depleted.
Does Albuquerque have an aquifer?
Albuquerque may be a dry city, but it is blessed by the presence of an underground aquifer that served the community’s needs for many decades. Experts once believed this subterranean reservoir was being continually replenished by a connection to the Rio Grande River.
Does Albuquerque have good water?
Our water meets all federal and state standards for drinking water quality, and has also been recognized for its good taste. It is important to note that the Water Authority provides water that meets all state and federal legal standards for safe drinking water.
How deep is the water table in Albuquerque?
Depths to water range from about 30 feet to more than 180 feet in northern Lea County.
Where is the most water in New Mexico?
New Mexico relies on both groundwater and surface water sources, but about 87 percent of New Mexico’s public water supply comes from ground water. No other southwestern state gets such a large percentage of its domestic water from groundwater sources.
Is New Mexico running out of water?
The warming climate that has kept New Mexico in a drought for the past 20 years and is depleting water supplies will continue into the next half-century and must shape long-term planning, state officials said in a virtual hearing Wednesday.
Does New Mexico have a water shortage?
New Mexico sees water shortages all the time, depending on the amount of snowfall in the mountains. “We had a shortage this year in New Mexico,” Fleck said.
Is there underground water in New Mexico?
Most of New Mexico’s fresh water is stored as groundwater in aquifers below the land surface, where it occupies small open spaces between grains of sand or gravel and small cracks or fractures in rock.For more information about our hydrogeologic research, see the Aquifer Mapping Program page.
Are there rivers in Albuquerque?
The Rio Grande flows south into the Albuquerque Basin between the Sandia and Jemez mountains.Before entering the basin the river is impounded by the Cochiti Dam, built in 1975.
What river flows through Albuquerque?
the Rio Grande
It is legal to float down the Rio Grande in kayaks, canoes, rafts and other non-motorized water craft. In and around Albuquerque there are several places where you can access the river. Most river bridges in the Albuquerque area provide access, with some walking required from the parking areas.
Can you swim in the Rio Grande in Albuquerque?
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M.- The Bosque is really being used as a getaway right now. It’s a place families can go biking, walking and, yes, swimming.
Is Albuquerque water chlorinated?
Sharon Sivinski, education coordinator for ABCWUA, says this could be a potential cause of the local drinking water’s “funny” taste. “We have to always put chlorine in any water that goes through a pipe,” Sivinski said. “So if people are complaining about the taste of the water, it’s probably because of the chlorine.”
Can I drink New Mexico tap water?
Though the city of Albuquerque’s water quality is currently in compliance with federal regulations, EPA, CDC, and the American Academy of Pediatrics all acknowledge that there is no safe level of lead, and federal regulations do not take into account levels measured at an individual tap.
How hard is the water in Albuquerque?
The lowest hardness level comes from the most populous city in New Mexico, Albuquerque, with a hardness of 120 PPM. Based on the USGS water hardness table, a hardness of 61 to 120 PPM is considered moderate.
How much does it cost to drill a well in New Mexico?
Well Drilling Costs By State
| State | Average Cost Per Foot |
|---|---|
| Nevada | $28 – $62 |
| New Hampshire | $28 – $61 |
| New Jersey | $30 – $67 |
| New Mexico | $26 – $56 |
What is the average well depth in New Mexico?
100 to 800 feet
Most of those are domestic wells; the typical well is about five inches in diameter and 100 to 800 feet deep, with a submersible pump at the bottom. Production wells like those operated by the City of Santa Fe are bigger and yield a lot more water.
How big is the aquifer under Albuquerque?
The city operates 93 water wells, distributed over 200 square miles, that raise the ground water to the land surface. While the depth to the water table (the uppermost level of ground water) in the Albuquerque area varies between 15 and 1000 feet, the city system taps the aquifer with wells as deep as 1,800 feet.
Who uses the most water in New Mexico?
While agriculture’s economic impact in New Mexico is usually just a few percent a year, it’s by far the largest consumer of water — irrigation accounted for 76% of water withdrawals in 2015, according to the latest available state engineer report.
What is the number one use of water in New Mexico?
water (78 percent). The public uses 8 percent, and evaporation from reservoirs consumes another 7 percent. Other uses represent a small slice of the pie: Power generation, 1.61 percent; mining, 1.52 percent; livestock, 1.4 percent; commercial, 1 percent; domestic wells, 0.9 percent; and industrial, 0.46 percent.
