By Lynn Janes

On November 28, 2023, the commission had a regular meeting at the Silver City Annex building.

Karl Pennock of RCAC (Rural Community Assistance Program) and Raymond De la Vega of Stantec plan to meet in the next few weeks to work on the financial analysis, so the commission will have the numbers at the January meeting.

Priscilla Lucero, Southwest New Mexico Council of Governments director, spoke about some potential increases in housing that would affect the numbers. Lucero also said with her meetings and speaking with people on the state level she felt that possibly they would not have to provide a match for the project, and it would be funded in full. 

Lucero brought up the $102 million available for water projects with the Water Trust Board. They have started a committee to address the upcoming projects in the state. She has been continuing to look for all funding opportunities available for the project. The Colonias Infrastructure Fund application will be due March 8, 2024. 

Alex Brown, Silver City town manager, said they currently have secured the $3.3 million needed for design. He talked about getting the smaller parts of the project started next year to show the project is moving forward. He specifically mentioned the Freeport McMoRan well and Hurley.

The December meeting will be important for all members to attend to choose which alternative to use. They have two plans for the water lines to make a decision on.

Hurley applied for the funding for the equipment needed at the well field. The funding they applied for has been set up for mining communities and has $1 million available and only eight applicants, so Lucero felt they had a good chance of getting the funding they applied for. 

Brown said once they have the design, they will have a better idea of the next steps.

Lucero commented as funds from the Water Trust Board become available in fall of 2024 because of it being a regional water project it will probably not require matching funds. 

De la Vega gave an update on the PER (preliminary engineering report). He had provided the two alternative maps but this time showing the possible areas for the booster stations. He didn’t have any concerns about the tanks but hoped to meet with the water operators and nail down the best locations. “We are looking at all the angles and trying to do the best options.” They have also been looking at the connection to the Freeport McMoRan wells and the benefits that can be realized right away to all the communities. 

Stantec has also been looking into running the transmission system as raw water. De la Vega said that would mean not chlorinating right away. Some of the communities chlorinate right away and others do not until it reaches the booster. Both systems offer benefits and challenges that need to be looked at. It would reduce the waste of water using the raw water system. Whatever decision that they make everyone will have to do it the same. They want to make it the most efficient as possible with the least amount of water waste. Brown said funding would be part of the determination. 

Brown said if they did the raw water, they would have to address the chlorination for Rosedale Water and Arenas Valley associations. All of this is a discussion and to be transparent to everyone. 

De la Vega said raw water has been a new idea because it saves a lot of water. 

Mayor Ed Stevens, Hurley, suggested they look at other regional water systems around the country, so they know what has worked and what has not. Find out what challenges they had so this commission does not do the same thing. Brown said they will not be the first to regionalize the water and talking with them would be a good idea. De la Vega said they will be reaching out and have been regularly, which is how they got the idea of the raw water. He agreed with Stevens. 

Stevens said, “We are a poor area and can’t afford any mistakes.”

In the December meeting they will choose one of the two options for the water pipeline connecting them together. 

The Prospectors will have a forum for communities to give presentations on the funding they need to do projects. The water commission will be presenting to them. On January 16, 2024 (tentatively) they will do a presentation to ISC (Interstate Stream Commission).

Stevens wanted them to know Hurley would do what would be needed to move forward with the project. 

Next meeting will take place December 21, 2023.

Adjourned