Santa Teresa and the Union Pacific inter modal facility have been hailed as an economic boon to southern New Mexico. But the future supply of water poses a major obstacle to sustainable economic development in the area.
In 2014, New Mexico ranked number one in the nation for the growth in exports to Mexico. The majority of that growth can be attributed Santa Teresa and the $400 million dollar Union Pacific inter modal hub.
But this bright spot in the New Mexico economy is threatened by a lack of usable water.
Elephant Butte Irrigation District consultant Phil King said though most companies expanding in Santa Teresa can purchase the necessary water rights, the water is becoming more and more salty.
“The problem that I see is access to fresh water. They are going to pump out the fresh water pretty quickly and it doesn’t matter what water rights you have on paper or real water rights. There is no fresh water." King said.
The Clean Water Act defines drinkable freshwater as water with a salt content of less than one thousand parts per million. King said the water being pumped out of some parts of the aquifer below Santa Teresa is already exceeding those levels.
King said if industrial and residential growth in the area continues as planned, a new fresh water supply will have to be sourced and established within the next decade.
King said the options are likely to be piping in water from elsewhere or treating the large supply of salty water at a desalination plant, a very expensive endeavor.
According to the National Ground Water Association, 75 percent of groundwater in New Mexico has too much salt for most uses, without treatment
