Waterline to serve residents across four northwest New Mexico counties

(April 12, 2010 Counselor, NM) USDA Rural Development State Director Terry Brunner was in Counselor, New Mexico today to help dedicate the new water system that will provide water to thousands of residents of the Navajo Nation living in northwest New Mexico. 

During the celebration, Brunner told the crowd, “This project represents the federal government’s commitment to meeting our obligations to ensure the health and welfare of the people of the Navajo Nation.” Brunner added, “Providing clean drinking water to these communities offers them the opportunity for a better quality of life and paves the path towards the sustainability of New Mexico’s rural communities.”

The new water line will serve 10,000 members of the Navajo Nation.  Currently, four thousand of these residents drive up to 100 miles round trip to haul water for their home use and to provide water for their livestock.

The 70 mile, four phase project will cross four New Mexico counties and will take two years to complete. Total project cost is $29-million with funding coming from USDA Rural Development, the State of New Mexico, the Navajo Nation, individual Navajo Chapters and the Indian Health Service.

The Navajo Chapters of Huerfano, Nageezi, Burnam, Counselor, Ojo Encino, Torreon, Pueblo Pintado and Whitehorse Lake are presently in the midst of a major water crisis.  9,500 residents of these communities do not have a sustainable long-term water supply and the aquifer in this harshly arid region is pumped much more quickly than it can be recharged by rainfall.  The water levels in private wells have  dropped so sharply that the New Mexico Environment Department (NMED) issued an Emergency Declaration in 2003 due to lack of water supply.

To celebrate the construction of the project USDA Rural Development State Director  Terry Brunner joined residents of the various Navajo Chapters and other state and federal officials to dedicate and bless the water system at the Counselor Chapter House today April 12, 2010 at 10:00 AM.

USDA Rural Development’s mission is to increase economic opportunity and improve the quality of life for rural residents. Rural Development fosters growth in homeownership, finances business development, and supports the creation of critical community and technology infrastructure. Further information on rural programs is available at any local USDA Rural Development office or by visiting USDA Rural Development’s web site at http://www.rurdev.usda.gov