EBTAG Annual Workshop and Field Trip
May 20-21, 2013

City of Santa Fe Water Division, 801 W. San Mateo Rd., Santa Fe, NM, 87505, United States, ciborchert@santafenm.gov

Reclaimed wastewater from the City of Santa Fe’s (City) wastewater treatment plants has contributed to water supply needs in the region since treatment of sanitary waste began. Today reclaimed wastewater meets x % of the City’s water supply needs. Over past decades reclaimed wastewater use has increased, while production has decreased by 29%. Two percent of the reclaimed wastewater produced is sold, generating less than $200,000 annually; the value of the resource, based on the current rate of $3.03 per 1,000 gallons, is over six million dollars.  The annual demand for reclaimed wastewater, including potential future options, is 40% greater than its availability. The City developed the Reclaimed Wastewater Resource Plan to prioritize current RW uses and identifies strategies and implementing actions to optimize current and future use of the resource. Based on the City’s average RW production of 1,887 million gallons/yr (5,790 af/yr) over the past five years, the Plan assumes that 1,825 mg/yr (5,600 af/yr) and 152 mg/mo (467 af/mo) of RW is available at a steady daily and monthly rate for a 40-year planning period. Using criteria established by the governing body of the City, the alternatives were scored and ranked. The budgets of the options were compared to available supply and then allocated based on ranking. This Plan identified that all but two of the ‘current’ RW options can be met with the available RW at this time; the exception is that there are insufficient flows to fully meet the target downstream Santa Fe River flows 3 mg/d, target flows in June and the Santa Fe Equestrian Center request in May, June and July. In the near future (approximately 2018), the shortfall in RW will be even greater: the Santa Fe River downstream, the Santa Fe Equestrian Center, and the option to pump reclaimed wastewater upstream to Santa Fe River do not have adequate supply during the summer months. By the 2020s, when the infrastructure and permits to use reclaimed wastewater for potable supply may be ready, no supply is available for the SF Equestrian Center or the Santa Fe River upstream, and there continues to be insufficient flows to meet the 3 mg/d target for Santa Fe River downstream in June. By the 2020s, using the reclaimed wastewater that is not needed during the irrigation season, the Plan estimates that approximately 717 mg/yr (2,200 af/yr) of RW will be available for potable supply.