Local presenter offers free rainwater‑harvesting projects under New Mexico grant

Mr. Vat of Stream Dynamics presented to the commission about water‑harvesting and stream‑management work he has done in town and around Grant County, illustrating before‑and‑after examples and saying the practice reduces pavement damage and improves public safety by routing stormwater into vegetated basins rather than letting it run into curbs and freeze.

Vat said Stream Dynamics is working under a roughly $300,000 grant from the New Mexico Environment Department to construct up to 100 water‑harvesting projects and that the group seeks a handful of additional sites in Grant County to complete the grant. He offered free site assessments for homeowners who may qualify for a no‑cost installation and showed concrete curb‑cut and rock‑basin techniques used on local streets; he cautioned crews must avoid some sites (for example, houses sited below grade) where diversion could damage foundations.

Commissioners asked about potential risks to foundations and erosion from diverting street water; Vat said projects are carefully sited and sometimes impossible when a house is below grade, and that ideal locations allow overflow to return to the street. Commissioners thanked him and asked county staff to follow up about project approvals and potential county sites, including near a county building entrance he mentioned.

The presentation highlighted low‑cost, small‑scale interventions — curb cuts, rock basins and plantings — that channel stormwater into soil, support tree growth and reduce municipal infrastructure wear. Vat said he is not seeking county funds for the demonstrations but is looking for places where grant funds could be applied to visible, “impactful” projects.