The Office of the State Engineer held a formal public hearing on April 21 in Santa Fe to discuss new regulations for domestic wells to protect our water supply. The hearing was held after seven public meetings had been called around the state. NMPIRG members were active participants in these meetings.

Currently, developers are subdividing parcels in a way that allows unmetered wells to be drilled. These wells use up to 12 times the amount of water that a metered household well uses.

The Office of the State Engineer approves 6,000 such wells each year because they do not currently have the authority to deny these well permits—even in areas where water supplies are critically depleted, such as in Albuquerque and Santa Fe.

NMPIRG and 1000 Friends of New Mexico have worked for years to close this loophole and applaud the new proposed rules, which will give the State Engineer the authority to deny wells where there is insufficient water supply.