look for
Saving Water in
New Mexico
Water is a precious resource everywhere in the country, but its importance is
magnified in New Mexico's arid climate. The capital, Santa Fe, receives less
than 15 inches of rain per year on average, and parts of the state receive less
than 10 inches annually. New Mexico's natural beauty and open space help to
draw new residents to the state, putting additional pressure on water resources.
In fact, New Mexico's population is projected to increase by more than 15
percent between 2000 and 2030.
WATER SOURCES
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.
Such a heavy dependence upon ground water has its
downsides. Severe declines in groundwater levels have
occurred in some parts of the state. Some
municipalities such as Santa Fe have seen water levels
iri their groundwater wells decline as much as 300 feet
in the past 10 years. Santa Fe is fortunate, however,
because it has both groundwater and surface water
sources; many other New Mexico communities are not
located near a surface water body such as the Rio
Grande.
New Mexico also has long periods of drought and
inconsistent precipitation, so relying on surface water
can lead to shortages as well. Water withdrawals from
New Mexico, Colorado, Texas, and Mexico have
greatly reduced the volume of the Rio Grande over the
past 50 years. New Mexico and several other states
also draw water from the Colorado River Basin, and
demand for water from that river exceeded supply more
than a decade ago.
DROUGHT AND CLIMATE CHANGE
The Upper Colorado River Basin, which extends into
western New Mexico, has been experiencing a
protracted, multi-year drought that began in 1999.
Prolonged droughts, in conjunction with climate
change, have the potential to reduce snowpack,
increase temperatures, and create earlier mountain
snow thaws, which all reduce water supplies.
Climate change could also create a longer, hotter
warm season in New Mexico. The state is concerned
this will result in prolonged periods of extremely low
water flow, as warmer temperatures increase water
loss from surface sources by evaporation. The City of
Santa Fe has recognized this challenge and has
partnered with the US. Bureau of Reclamation to
PHONE (866) WTR-SENS (987-7367) WEBSITE www.epa.gov/watersense
EMAIL watersense@epa.gov
A rr\A EPA-832-F-13-009
OtrH June 2013

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Saving Water in New Mexico
assess the long-term impacts of climate change on
local water resources.
NEW MEXICANS EMBRACE EFFICIENCY
Although faced with a number of water supply
challenges, New Mexico agencies are working to
preserve and protect their water resources for the
future. The Albuquerque Bernalillo County Water Utility
Authority (ABCWUA), a partner of the U.S.
Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA's)
WaterSense® program, has implemented several water
efficiency measures. ABCWUA's Operation Low Flow
program offers rebates on WaterSense labeled
showerheads, toilets, and flushing urinals to make it
easy for residents to save both water and money.
These efforts have paid off; from 1994 to 2011,
ABCWUA's customers reduced their water use from
252 gallons per day to 150 gallons per day.
Throughout the state, smaller cities are also doing their
part to reduce water use. In Gallup and Santa Fe,
residents can receive rebates for WaterSense labeled
toilets and other products. These individual efforts can
add up to big impacts. If every home in New Mexico
replaced its existing showerheads with WaterSense
labeled models, the state could save nearly 2 billion
gallons of water, more than $10 million in water costs,
and nearly $20 million in energy costs annually.
Additionally, New Mexicans can use water more
efficiently on their landscapes. Water restrictions
Fix That Bad Flapper
To help promote EPA's Fix a Leak Week, the New Mexico Office of the State
Engineer, a 2012 WaterSense Excellence Award winner, launched a
statewide media campaign featuring a "Bad Flapper" from the 1920s to
educate residents on how to fix worn toilet flappers and stop wasting water
from leaks.
The campaign included television commercials, "wanted" posters of the Bad
Flapper for hardware stores, leak detection kits, and a New Mexico Fix a
Leak Week website. Local utilities distributed materials and hosted events in
five New Mexico cities featuring Flo, the WaterSense spokesgallon, to
encourage home and business owners to read meters, check flappers, and fix
leaks. For more information, visit www.ose.state.nm.us/FixALeak.
Gallons Per Capita Per Day
1994-2011
ADDITIONAL
SAVINGS
FROM REACHING
THf GOAL
3 YEARS
'94 '95 '96 '97 '90 '99 '09 '01 02 '03 04 '05 '06 '07 "0B 09 '10 'n '12 "13 'M
150
As of 2011, Albuquerque customers had reduced their water
use by more than 100 gallons per day. (Source: ABCWUA)
throughout Albuquerque ban sprinkler usage between
11:00 a.m. and 7:00 p.m. from April through October
to cut down on evaporation. In Santa Fe, irrigation
professionals can become certified through the
Qualified Water Efficient Landscapers program, a
WaterSense labeled certification program that focuses
on water-saving techniques and technologies. In Las
Cruces, customers can learn how to keep their yards
and gardens "lush and lean" by attending periodic
workshops hosted by the city's water utility.
For more information on WaterSense labeled
products and new homes, or other water-saving tips,
visit www.epa.gov/watersense.
NEW MEXICO OFFICE OF THE STATE ENGINEER
WANTED
"BAD" FLAPPER
DESCRIPTION:
Noisy. Cracked, Grimy
CRIME:
Wasting Water
REWARD:
Saving Water, Saving Money!
This reward will be received
for capture and replacement
of a bad toilet flapper.
Is Your Toilet Flapper
Offender?
IF SO, CAPTURE IT NOW!
To learn how, visit www.fixaleaknm.org -
A
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