Rio Rancho utility officials outline wastewater and water projects, ARPA and Army Corps funding noted

City of Rio Rancho utilities staff updated the Public Infrastructure Advisory Board on a slate of water and wastewater projects underway or in design, citing federal matches and American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) support for major capital work.

Micah Sodillo of the utilities department summarized active projects and timing: the wastewater treatment plant headworks replacement was awarded to contractor AUI in December on a roughly $28,000,000 contract; staff said a greater portion (more than $11,000,000) of that contract is expected to be funded with ARPA dollars and that a notice to proceed was issued in January 2025 with a design/construction period of roughly 2,100 calendar days and construction expected to begin in late fall. Sodillo said the project is in the submittal review phase.

Other wastewater projects reported - Lift Station 22 upgrades near Corrales and 528: design at 90% and bids expected late summer 2025. - Willow Creek to Lift Station 22 force main: design and bid activity expected late summer 2025. - Wastewater Treatment Plant 5 membrane bioreactor expansion: project would raise permitted treatment from 250,000 to 500,000 gallons per day; design work under review with CDM Smith.

Water projects and supply work - Well 13 equipping: staff said construction of the well building is complete and equipment installation should conclude in July or early August; staff described the equipping as adding roughly 1,000,000 gallons per day of capacity and estimated the project cost near $7,200,000. - Unser transmission line: a five‑mile, 24‑inch secondary transmission line to serve Mariposa and Enchanted Hills is about 90% designed and is undergoing an Army Corps of Engineers environmental assessment; total cost estimated at $9,000,000 with the Corps expected to match about 75% (approximately $5.4 million). - Well 9 equipping and piping: Well 9 has been drilled and a roughly three‑mile pipe to bring the supply into the system is in design; staff estimate this project at about $7,600,000 with approximately $1,000,000 from the Army Corps of Engineers. - Advanced Metering Infrastructure (AMI): the city is replacing approximately 5,500 meters, mostly in Northern Meadows and Unit 11, with projected cost around $2,200,000; staff said the installation should be substantially complete within the next week. - Other items: Well 17 booster station, Bridal Loop and Meadowlark concurrent waterline work with public works roadway improvements, and a replacement sodium hypochlorite generation system for Well 21 were also listed in the update.

Public comment on water reporting At public forum, resident Mister Van Horn said a water quality report recently posted on the city site omitted a page describing the Rio Rancho Pier water purification and aquifer storage project and questioned injection volumes, noting last year’s injection volume appeared to be well below the project’s million‑gallons‑per‑day target. Van Horn asked the board and staff to consider those questions; staff did not provide a response during the public comment period but recorded the request for follow‑up.

What board members asked Members asked about rainwater harvesting and whether the city had facilities; Sodillo said he was not aware of any existing rainwater harvesting facilities and would follow up. Members also asked timing and funding questions for the Army Corps projects and equipment schedules.

Next steps Staff will continue design and permitting steps, pursue Army Corps environmental review and funding agreements, and complete AMI installations. The larger projects (transmission line, treated capacity expansions and headworks replacement) will proceed through contract administration, environmental review and construction phases as funding is finalized.

(Disclosure: project cost figures and funding shares were presented by city staff during the meeting.)