Santa Fe County will hold a public meeting titled "Santa Fe Water Today and Tomorrow" on Oct. 27 at the Santa Fe County Chambers to explain where county drinking water comes from, how the county evaluates availability for new development and how it manages stormwater and sustainability programs.

County officials said the meeting is intended to answer common questions from residents about water supply and wastewater services as growth increases in and around Santa Fe County. "It comes from the Rio Grande for the county, but there are agreements that we have with the city of Santa Fe where we can utilize some of their groundwater," said Travis Soderquist, utilities division director for Santa Fe County, describing the county's primary sources and intergovernmental arrangements.

The meeting will cover water allocation and the process the county uses to determine whether water is available for proposed subdivisions and other developments, Soderquist said. He emphasized that decisions about allocating water are not made lightly: "There's a lot of care and consideration that goes into determining how much water should be allocated to these developments," he said.

Officials also plan to explain collaborations with other water stakeholders. Soderquist said the county coordinates with the city of Santa Fe, regional pueblos and state regulators as part of water-rights transfers and delivery planning, including use of San Juan–Chama project deliveries and contingency plans when the Buckman direct diversion is curtailed.

Stormwater management and permitting are on the agenda as well. Michael Carr, environmental compliance officer for Santa Fe County Public Works, described stormwater as "definitely in kinda, like, an unconsidered field of water," and said the county treats stormwater both as a resource and a pathway for pollutants that can reach groundwater and downstream communities. He said the county has an MS4 program — "MS4 is a municipal separate storm sewer system" — and that the permit and reporting currently involve EPA oversight. Carr said recent state legislative action is aiming to shift primacy from EPA to the state, which, if implemented, would place more enforcement responsibility with the New Mexico Environment Department (NMED).

Jacqueline Beam, Santa Fe County sustainability manager, said the county will present nature-based stormwater approaches, including green stormwater infrastructure. "Green stormwater infrastructure is just a fancy way to say rain gardens," Beam said, describing techniques that increase soil infiltration, reduce irrigation needs and provide co-benefits such as wildfire risk reduction and carbon sequestration.

Andrew Hardin, a water planner in the county's growth management division, said the county is coordinating with local organizations on watershed projects. He highlighted a new cooperative watershed management initiative led by local stakeholders and the Santa Fe Watershed Association to design restoration and pilot demonstration projects that bring residents and technical partners together.

County communications staff said resources and materials from the Oct. 27 presentation will be posted on the county website and distributed through outreach channels so residents can review data and guidance after the meeting. Officials encouraged residents with questions about development, wells or stormwater to consult those materials or attend the meeting to speak with subject-matter staff.

Meeting details: Santa Fe County officials said the meeting will be Oct. 27 at Santa Fe County Chambers and will include presentations by utilities, public works, sustainability and growth management staff; outreach materials will be made available on the county website following the event.