Drip, Drip: PURe Water Project
Drip, Drip: PURe Water Project
From setback to strategy: the birth of a new Village water plan
In 2007, the Village undertook an ambitious plan to provide a long-term solution to its water issues, the PURe Water Project.
The rationale for pursuing the project was simple: to create a resilient and sustainable water supply for the village by implementing Direct Potable Reuse (DPR) technology. DPR recycles treated wastewater and converts it into potable (drinkable) water, thereby addressing the village’s limited water resources and increasing demand due to population growth and drought conditions.
Seventeen years later, the project's completion is nowhere in sight. In fact, many believe it will never be—or should be—completed.
Last Thursday, the Council took a step forward when it unanimously approved CDM Smith's Preliminary Engineering Report (PER). The engineering firm was hired in 2021 to assess the current state of the village water systems and map a path forward.
The previous week, CDM Smith made a three-hour presentation to the Council. After voting to give the trustees one week to digest the report, the Council reconvened at a special meeting on Thursday, the 22nd, and voted unanimously to approve the report.
The report was initiated in 2021 after a significant setback occurred in 2020 when the New Mexico Environment Department (NMED) denied approval for the project, citing the Village's failure to demonstrate sufficient Treatment, Management, and Financial (TMF) capacity. The denial underscored the need for a more comprehensive planning approach, prompting the Village to commission a Preliminary Engineering Report (PER) in 2022 to address these deficiencies and provide a roadmap for the project's future.
Completed in 2024, the PER serves as a retrospective analysis and a forward-looking plan for Cloudcroft's water infrastructure. The report provides a detailed assessment of the Village's current water systems, identifies key challenges, and makes several critical recommendations.
Joe John “JJ” Carrizal, Maintenance Supervisor, said,
“They’re giving us the steps. They're telling us not to stop the PURe project, but they're giving us steps that we can complete in the future when we get the funding.”
The trustees unanimously agreed that CDM Smith's report is an update rather than a more binding commitment. While approving the PER does not lock-in the Village in any direction, it underscores its challenges.
Report highlights
Some key takeaways from the report include:
The need for accurate water supply and demand analysis to ensure the sustainability of the water supply;
Cloudcroft holds 850 acre-feet of water rights, more than the current production capacity;
Pending decisions from the New Mexico Environment Department (NMED) regarding discharge permits and Groundwater Under the Direct Influence (GWUDI) determinations will impact the project's progression and funding requirements.;
The condition of the existing water treatment plant (WTP) equipment noted that most equipment is not cost-effective to refurbish except for the Granular Activated Carbon (GAC) vessels.
The report recommends upgrading the Village's wastewater treatment plant (WWTP). These upgrades, including membrane system expansion, bioreactor enhancements, and control system modernization, are essential for maintaining current operations and supporting future Direct Potable Reuse (DPR) initiatives. The estimated cost for these upgrades is substantial.
Getting a handle on the Village’s water usage is paramount. The PER identifies that as much as 45% of the Village’s water is non-revenue — in other words, wasted. Village officials believe the number is inaccurate due to faulty meter readings. New meters to measure inflow and outflow are scheduled to arrive in October.
Trustee Jim Maynard said,
“No matter what path we go forward on, getting a grip on our water loss and our non-revenue water (NRW) is a primary for any movement forward. We shouldn't do anything if we skip those two things. So I think we're working toward that. We have helped supply Joe John with the men and equipment he requested. This flow meter is going to help solve some of these other issues. These are the little bricks in the wall of getting forward.”
One of the most pressing issues identified in the PER is the Village's reliance on an aging water supply system operating at roughly 97% capacity.
The report highlights the Village's vulnerability to drought conditions, which have previously necessitated water hauling from external sources. Water conservation efforts this summer brought down usage and provided needed breathing room. However, demand will outstrip production capacity if the Village experiences more building, water taps, and usage.
Extra storage will help in times of high demand—for a while. However, in the event of a drought or low snowpack in the winter, the water supply can reach critically low levels. That’s why the state of New Mexico wants to see that any water system has a sustainability plan.
The engineering firm and the Council agree that immediate short-term needs must be addressed. Specifically, the Village’s WWTP is a $5 million project that is roughly $4 million short of funds.
Timely acquisition of grants is critical. Once filed with the NMED, the PER can help secure dollars by demonstrating that the Village has a handle on its issues and practical implementation plans.
New environmental regulation rules may impact the process. The Village’s ongoing efforts to bring its financial accounting up to date through an audit could also influence grant awards.
The estimate is that finishing all WWTP work would cost $13 million. Even if all the money were secured and on hand today, it could take three years to complete.
The PURe Water Project: A vision deferred
While the PER provides a detailed feasibility assessment of the PURe Water Project, the report does not recommend moving forward with the initiative at this time. Instead, it suggests that the Village prioritize immediate infrastructure improvements, particularly at the WWTP, and address the critical issue of NRW.
The report acknowledges the potential benefits of DPR but advises caution, recommending that the Village ensure all regulatory and operational prerequisites are met before committing further resources to the project.
Mayor Craig Turner said,
“My opinion, at this point, is that the PURe Water Project is not a priority. I think the wastewater treatment is more of a priority to us.”
“Even if we had all the money in the world, I still don't know that we could even project simply because of all the regulations. Everything we've already done is so outdated. Until they have an exact framework for how the PURe Water Project should work for our municipality and every other municipality, it's just a waste of our time.”
“The part we're having trouble with, the filters, is that technology keeps leaping. And then we needed help with if we put too much of our pipelines, which will start to descale. And then our valves are going to flood, and other things are going to happen. You have to do one chemical to achieve one goal, and you've got to neutralize that with another chemical.”
Finding the money
Concerns over predictable funding have led Trustees to consider floating a bond to generate funds to keep the efforts moving.
Trustee Jim Maynard said,
“The advantage of a bond is that it would give you all the money you need to implement the engineered design tightly. In other words, we're doing it before things change. When we've relied so much on annual grants or legislative gifts or something, then it's just piecemeal. And that's why we've got this mess.”
Trustee Tabitha Foster emphasized the importance of the Village providing some financing.
“We haven't had skin in the game. We've just relied on grants, and we've just relied on being able to be forgiven for some of these loans. At some point, we will have to have some skin in the game to go after those more significant dollar amounts.”
Seeking answers: a sense of urgency
Vital unknowns for completing the PURe Project include the cost, financing options, and when the funds can be secured.
The Village staff that manages the water system is regularly taxed by failing equipment and the challenges of repairing or replacing 80-year-old parts, many of which are no longer manufactured. The Village needs action, particularly grant funding, to get things moving quickly and successfully.
The decision to approve the PER is one step of many required for a sustainable, long-term solution to the Village’s water system woes.
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Many years ago, Mayor James Sewell, had a vision= a reservoir, catch ALL the seasonal moisture for when we need same....The money was never available, BUT look at what has been spent and results.. Please ,rethink a damm on near canyon for capture...Thanks, Sally-Prentice Blanscett