EPWU Encourages Conservation as Drought Continues

Low water levels shown at Elephant Butte Reservoir, taken September 22, 2011. Photo by Bert Cortez, US Bureau of Reclamation

El Paso Water Utilities will ramp up maintenance of wells, consider increased production of desalinated water and reinvigorate its public outreach campaign concerning water conservation as the region's on-going drought is expected to stretch into 2012.

"We're really planning for a drought next year," said President and CEO Ed Archuleta at September's meeting of the Public Service Board. "If you follow climatologists, they're predicting the continuation of La Niña, so another dry year."

About half of El Paso's water begins as snow in the Rocky Mountains, which melts and flows down the Rio Grande to Elephant Butte and Caballo Lakes.

As of January 27, those lakes were only holding 14.1 percent of their capacity, according to the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation. Little of that water is available to downstream users, including El Pasoans.

"Everything is going to depend on snowfall next year in Northern New Mexico and Southern Colorado," Archuleta said.

EPWU relies on groundwater during the winter months, meaning the real pinch from a lack of river water might not be felt until residents are watering lawns and gardens and swamp coolers are running full force.

The lakes are approaching the historic low levels reached in 2003 and 2004. However, even if lake levels reach those historic lows, the utility has added additional resources to meet demand.

"The measures that we've taken since 2003 have put us in a much better position," said Mayor John Cook referring to the upgrade of eight wells in the Lower Valley with reverse osmosis purification technology similar to that which is in place at the Kay Bailey Hutchison Desalination Plant. The desalination plant could also operate at increased capacity to help meet El Paso's need.

Water conversation has helped EPWU weather the drought so far, and utility officials are confident it can do so in the future. To that end, the utility has partnered with local media outlets to remind customers of the city's odd-even lawn watering schedule.