The New Mexico Environment Department released a draft feasibility study for a controversial water proposal on Tuesday.
The study looks at using treated brackish and produced water, which is a byproduct of oil and gas extraction, for industrial purposes in an effort to reduce demands on freshwater supplies. That proposal is known as the Strategic Water Supply. Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham announced plans to pursue this effort last year.
Climate change is reducing the amount of water available in the state and officials estimate there will be 25 percent less water available in rivers and aquifers by 2072. At the same time, demand for that water is increasing, particularly in the San Juan Basin region and the Middle Rio Grande area.
Meanwhile, there are untapped reserves of brackish underground water as well as wastewater from the oil and gas industry. The state officials hope these can help reduce demands on freshwater resources, though they say adequate regulatory controls are needed to protect both environment and human health.
Critics point to the expensive nature of desalination as well as various unknowns, including questions about how much brackish water is actually present in the aquifers and whether produced water can safely be treated for beneficial use.
According to the draft study, some of the important factors to consider when weighing treatment projects include location, water source, labor force, end users and infrastructure.
The draft study also states that more information is needed about the chemical composition of produced water in New Mexico. It also states that desalination, which is needed for both brackish and produced water treatment, is an energy-intensive process and that support for desalination projects should “be considered within the context of the State’s decarbonization goals.”
When looking at brackish water, the draft study states that there may be three basins in New Mexico where the saline aquifers could provide an alternative water supply. Those include the Española Basin near Santa Fe, the Mesilla Basin south of Las Cruces and the Albuquerque Basin.
“Though there are data that suggest areas that may be most promising for developing brackish water resources…full characterization of these resources at the localized level is needed to site the well and understand the treatment processes required to treat the brackish water to the desired water quality of the end user,” the study states.
Some of the concerns the study highlights around use of brackish water include land subsidence, saltwater intrusion into freshwater aquifers, decreased surface water flows, energy demands and disposal of residual constituents.
The draft study also looks at potential end uses for the treated water including green hydrogen production, data centers, semiconductor manufacturing, solar panel manufacturing, electric vehicle manufacturing, pumped hydro energy storage and cement or concrete production.
In terms of costs, produced water projects in the San Juan Basin could cost between $13 million and $191 million and, in the Permian Basin, those costs could be between $38 million and $667 million. Brackish water projects could cost between $3 million and $107 million.