SANTA FE, N.M. – New Mexico’s state lawmakers are in charge of planning for the future, and that absolutely includes figuring out what to do about a dwindling fresh water supply. 

There are a few ideas moving through the Roundhouse this year, but none of them are quite as contentious as the strategic water supply idea.

“We have enormous reserves of brackish water lying beneath our feet, and we have massive amounts of industrial water that is being injected right back into the ground,” said Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham. 

Lujan Grisham wants state lawmakers to get the pump flowing, so to speak. Her office is backing a new bill to incentivize private companies to build the necessary infrastructure to pump that dirty water out of the ground, clean it up and then sell it for industrial uses only.

“Recycled industrial water will not be used for human or animal consumption or to irrigate our crops period, ever,” Lujan Grisham said. 

House lawmakers spent nearly three hours debating a new version of the $75 million proposal Thursday morning, where the big question was: does the science even back all of this up?

“There’s still not enough evidence to show that produced water can be treated safely for people and the environment,” said state Rep. Angelica Rubio. 

Most opponents pointed out brackish water, which is naturally occurring, is not the same as produced water which is a byproduct of oil fracking.

“For every barrel of oil, there’s three to seven barrels of produced water. And so they don’t know what to do with all this waste, this toxic, radioactive waste,” said Mariel Nanasi, executive director of New Mexico Economy.  

Lawmakers questioned if taxpayer dollars should be used to help solve an oil and gas industry problem.

“I personally am concerned about this legislation regarding that area, and taxpayers constantly having to pay for the mistakes of the industry,” said Rubio. 

Some critics argued House Bill 137 is too expansive, suggesting efforts to increase aquifer mapping should be debated on their own before approving plans to pump that water out of the ground.

“Once we map it, once we study it, then we can know. And until that time, it’s premature,” said Nanasi.

House lawmakers decided to delay voting on this bill, so the bill’s sponsors could work out some of those concerns. So the bill is still at the starting line.

Officials with the governor’s office admit the state does not have to be involved for the private industry to start doing this on its own, but they believe it’s better if everyone has a seat at the table.

“It also ensures that the way in which these treatment technologies are developed and brought in to our communities, creating new jobs and treating these new sources of water are it’s happening with public input,” said Rebecca Roose, infrastructure advisor for the governor’s office. 

Track HB 137 during the legislative session.