Water Authority: Federal funding still coming for Ute pipeline

Eastern New Mexico Water Utility Authority Chair Mike Morris went to Washington, D.C., last week for the presidential inauguration. He returned with what he said is a “strong commitment of the United States government to see the Ute Pipeline Project successfully completed.”

The pipeline project intends to bring water from Ute lake in Quay County to the Clovis-Portales area by 2030.

“I have a memo from the Bureau of Reclamation that says they will back the project with their reverse osmosis water processing. Correspondence with the bureau is incredible,” Morris said at Thursday’s January meeting of the ENMWUA board of directors.

After the session, Morris told The News that the Bureau’s partnership with ENMWUA “guarantees us 75% funding for the capital costs” of a treatment plant the project needs before it can be implemented.

Authority officials have said the rest of money for the $400 million treatment facility will come from state and local funds — the same funding formula for the entire project, which will cost about $1 billion.

In other business, Morris told the board the authority’s administrative staff’s presentations around the area to civic clubs and other groups are “getting a great response.”

Morris spoke of improvements to the ENMWUA  website by adding “frequently asked questions.”

Board members entered into an executive session that lasted about 30 minutes. No action was taken afterward.

Deaun Willoughby, a certified public accountant from Clovis, presented a report on the agency’s audit for fiscal year 2024. There were “zero” findings.

“I really love this audit,” Willoughby said.

“I am always pleased to find that our accounting is spot on,” Portales Board Member Eldon Merrick said.

The board has its next regular meeting set for 3 p.m. Feb. 27 at the Clovis-Carver Public Library’s Ingram Room.