Mark Sanchez Executive Director

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Mega-City Water Forum Atlanta, Georgia - May
14-16

• Mark SanchezExecutive Director
• Albuquerque Bernalillo County Water Utility
  Authority

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Outline

• Background
• History
• Strategy

• Conservation
• Implementation

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Colorado
Colorado
Taos
Rio Grande
Santa Fe
New Mexico
Albuquerque
Texas
New Mexico
Socorro
United States
Las Cruces
El Paso
Juarez
Texas
Mexico
Ft. Quitman
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The 1960s Plan

• Aquifer supplies the City
• River re-supplies the aquifer
• San Juan-Chama Project re-supplies the river

San Juan-Chama
Rio Grande
Water Table
Wells
Aquifer
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1985-1995 Getting Started

• New USGS computer model
• US BuRec study of recharge
• UNM Value of Water study
• Water recycling study
• Conservation Program began
• Groundwater protection initiative

1/2 of water pumped is not replenished
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Problems with the 1960s Plan

• The Rio Grande does not re-supply the aquifer
• The aquifer is smaller than thought

San Juan-Chama
Rio Grande
Water Table
Wells
Aquifer
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Albuquerque Ground-Water Levels Show Huge Declines
Pumping Cone of Depression in 2002
1/2 of water pumped is not replenished
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Albuquerque Adopted a New Water Strategy in 1997

• 7 years of study by many experts
• New aquifer model
• 32 alternatives evaluated
• Active ratepayer participation
• Customer Advisory Committee
• Public forums and outreach
• Support of environmental, business, civic groups
• Interaction with regulators, neighbors
• Continued Council support for necessary rate
  increases

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Involvement in the San Juan-Chama Project

• The State of New Mexico convinced Albuquerque to
  support the project in the 1950s
• Albuquerque committed contractually in 1963
• An Exclusive and Permanent right (Section 18c)
• Full repayment with interest plus OM
• 53 million to date
• 100 million when construction costs paid off
• 48,200 acre-feet per year
• Took full delivery since 1972 (except for 2 spill
  years),

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Albuquerques Projected Water Demand and
Available Supplies
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Components of Conservation Program

• General Water Conservation Marketing
• Low Flow Toilet Rebate Program
• Residential Audit/Retrofit Program
• Xeriscape Rebate Program

• Water Waste Ordinance
• Industrial, Commercial, and Institutional (ICI)
  Water Audit Program Large User Ordinance
• Extensive Rebate Program

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Conservation - 40 Reduction
Conservation Program Status
Water Demand (acre-feet/year)
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Unaccounted-for-Water

• Initiate large meter test replacement program
• Identify and repair leaks before visible on
  surface
• Replace stopped meters
• Well wash reduction/reuse
• Water/service line replacement

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Projects to Use Renewable Supplies

• Industrial Water Recycling and Nonpotable Surface
  Water Reclamation
• Southside Water Recycling
• Drinking Water Project

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Public Acceptance Plan Education/Piloting

• Began operations in August/September 2006
• Optimize water treatment plant process - energy
  and chemicals
• Make a variety of water types - set up taste
  panels
• Water forums
• Methods for taste testing
• Tucson examples

Pilot Plant
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Drought Management Plan

• Stage Level Drought Response Excess Pumping
• Advisory Voluntary Conservation 10,000
  af/yr
• Stage I Watch Mandatory Conservation 20,000
  af/yr
• Stage II Warning Mandatory Conservation 30,000
  af/yr
• Stage III Emergency Water Rationing 40,000
  af/yr OR
• 30,000 af/yr for 2 yrs.