Santa Fe outlines potable‑reuse plan and new rate structure as water use falls

Interim Public Utilities Director Jesse Roach told the City of Santa Fe governing body on April 29 that the city now draws from four sources — the Santa Fe River, in‑city wells, regional wells north toward the Rio Grande, and the Buckman Direct Diversion (BDD) — and that water use per person has dropped from roughly 168 gallons per day in 1995 to below 90 gallons per day in 2025.

Roach said two policy shifts helped produce the change: a conservation push beginning in the 1990s and the city’s 2011 use of the Buckman Direct Diversion, which allowed preferential surface‑water use and a reduction in groundwater mining. He noted that the city currently produces about 9,000 acre‑feet per year while estimating approximately 12,000 acre‑feet as a sustainably available supply.

The presentation detailed this year’s operational highlights and customer impacts: the first of five rate increases took effect in February (the average residential bill rose by about $2 per month) and the city plans to adopt a three‑tier residential rate structure in January 2027 that will lower charges for very low use and increase charges in mid‑tiers.

Roach spent the largest portion of his presentation on a proposed San Juan‑Chama return‑flow (potable reuse) project. Under the plan, treated potable water used indoors would largely return to the wastewater stream, be routed to a return‑flow conveyance, and be discharged downstream of the BDD diversion so the city can claim return‑flow credit at Buckman. Roach said the project would, on average, allow the city to reduce releases from upstream reservoirs by roughly two‑thirds while maintaining the same diversion at Buckman — a way to stretch San Juan‑Chama water “by three times” according to his slide presentation — and could allow the city to use less than half of its sustainably available water once implemented. He said staff hope the project could come online as early as 2029, pending permitting, financing and construction.

Councilors pressed staff on several details. Councillor Fogalli asked Roach to explain how return‑flow credits augment Abiquiu reservoir storage; Roach reiterated the mechanics (put treated water back into the river below the diversion and claim a diversion credit at Buckman). Councillor Castro asked about the city’s relationship with the State Engineer and whether transfers of water rights would be required; Roach said the city holds permits for return‑flow credit but that transfers of senior water rights into the Buckman well field are being protested, making it harder to locate rights developers historically contributed. Roach said staff will report back with more detail on the protest process and the city’s relationship with the State Engineer.

On conservation posture, Roach described the city’s Water Resources Indicator (0–10). Santa Fe’s April score was 7.1 — a messaging posture advising conservation but not triggering formal restrictions. He said policy guidance suggests messaging at scores of 6–8 and possible mandatory restrictions below 6; he estimated roughly a 50/50 chance of being below 6 next year depending on winter and monsoon precipitation.

Operationally, Roach said BDD treatment can be constrained by turbidity during summer storm events and the city often leans on wells in August; a planned $60–80 million BDD facility rebuild aims to reduce sediment capture and increase treatment reliability. Roach also emphasized the seasonal efficiency of the return‑flow approach (a higher fraction of winter indoor use returns for reuse) and said the city will continue to prioritize conservation.

What’s next: Roach invited council members and the public to a deeper technical discussion at the upcoming “What’s Up With Water?” community forum and encouraged review of the annual report and a new, shorter year‑in‑review newsletter posted on santafenm.gov/water.

Speakers quoted (first reference): Interim Public Utilities Department Director Jesse Roach.