Water customer count reflects growth

City officials attribute the growth of Cannon Air Force Base and Eastern New Mexico University to the slight growth in Portales water customers over the last five years.

The amount of water customers increased more than 200, from 4,847 in August 2007 to 5,070 in August of this year.

"We're estimating a 2 percent increase in population yearly for the next couple of years," said City Clerk Joan Martinez-Terry. "(The population) is eventually going to level or even drop."

According to water department officials, it took them 25 years to go from 4,000 to 5,000 water connections

Martinez-Terry also suggested that the increase in water customers can also be correlated with the amount of building permits issued.

Sammy Standefer, the city's Planning Director said the growth of population creates a need for housing and with housing comes the increase in water accounts.

"The growth of the community from Cannon Air Force Base expansion and Eastern New Mexico University students are two contributing factors in the increase of water accounts and building permits," Standefer said.

ENMU set a new record enrollment this fall with 5,814 students.