Background

Approximately 82% of the town’s residents have access to water service provided by either Mesilla Utility Department (MUD) or the Jornada Water Company while most of the outlying areas depend on private wells. The community relies on groundwater from the Mesilla Bolson Aquifer for its water supply. It currently operates two wells with a combined production capacity of nearly 1,000 gallons per minute (gpm). Based on the results of a water audit of
the Mesilla system, the community’s water supply capacity greatly exceeds current demand, and the water quality meets all state and federal regulatory requirements.

Currently residents in the project area rely on private wells for drinking water. During periods of extended drought these wells are vulnerable to going dry, forcing area residents to haul water for domestic use. Health risks associated with hauled water are typically the result of containers being inadequately sterilized or cross-contamination when the container has been used for hauling other materials besides potable water.

In addition, water currently stagnates in sections of the distribution system where waterlines dead end. Water stagnation can lead to issues with microbial growth, increased temperatures and water discoloration. To avoid stagnation, waterlines are flushed, resulting in water losses and additional operation and maintenance requirements.

Description

The project consists of three separate waterlines that will provide new hookups to 12 residences and add looping to improve the distribution system. All of the new lines will connect to existing waterlines. The project has the following components:

• Los Arenales Loop: 1,215 linear feet of 6” waterline that will
  connect the existing Los Arenales line to the Union Avenue
  line, and add one new residential connection.
• Snow Road Loop: 4,010 linear feet of 8” waterline creating a
  connection between the Snow Road and Happy Valley Lane
  waterlines and adding five new residential connections.
• Valle Grande Loop: 2,590 linear feet of 8” waterline creating
  looping between the waterlines along Snow and Paisano
  Roads and adding six new residential connections.

Benefits

The project will increase access to potable water service, improve service reliability and eliminate stagnate conditions that negatively impact water quality, contributing to the reduction of the risks associated with waterborne diseases. Additionally, it will provide first-time access to potable water services for 12 households.