ENMWUA awarded funds for continued pipeline construction
Media Release, Eastern New Mexico Water Utility Authority
CLOVIS, NM— The Eastern New Mexico Water Utility Authority (ENMWUA) announced today that it has received official notice from the New Mexico Finance Authority that $18.7 million in Water Project Fund has been awarded to support continued design and construction of the Eastern New Mexico Rural Water System (ENMRWS), commonly known as the Ute Pipeline Project.
The funding, recommended by the New Mexico Water Trust Board (WTB) in the form of a 90% grant and 10% loan represents a significant milestone in the long-term effort to secure a sustainable water supply for the eastern region of the state. The award was formally confirmed on June 5, 2025.
“The continued support from the Water Trust Board and the State of New Mexico is not only vital to the progress of the Ute Pipeline Project but also reaffirms the state’s commitment to long-term water sustainability,” said Mike Morris, Board Chairman of the ENMWUA. “This investment brings us one step closer to our goal of delivering water by 2031.”
The WTB is a 16-member board composed of representatives from diverse sectors across the state, tasked with recommending water infrastructure projects for funding through the Water Project Fund. The WTB has played a pivotal role in supporting the ENMRWS, providing essential financial resources that have made design and construction of the regional pipeline possible.
The $18.7 million allocation aligns closely with the goals of Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham’s 50-Year Water Action Plan, which emphasizes proactive, regional solutions to the state’s evolving water challenges.
The ENMRWS is a large-scale infrastructure project designed to deliver a renewable drinking water supply to communities throughout eastern New Mexico that include Clovis, Cannon Air Force Base, Portales, Texico, and Elida. The system will ultimately convey surface water from Ute Reservoir through a network of pipelines and facilities, reducing reliance on rapidly depleting groundwater resources in the Ogallala Aquifer.
The project’s financing structure consists of 75% federal support, 15% state contributions, and 10% local funding. Continued investment from state partners like the Water Trust Board is essential to meeting the project’s development timeline and ensuring the delivery of safe, sustainable water to nearly 80,000 New Mexicans.
The Eastern New Mexico Rural Water System, federally authorized in 2009, aims to provide potable water to four city member agencies and Cannon Air Force Base from Ute Reservoir. The ENMWUA was established by the New Mexico State Legislature on July 1, 2010.
For more information on the ENMRWS and ongoing project updates, visit www.enmwua.com.
