Drinking water and sewage infrastructure projects need more speed

Albuquerque, NM (KKOB) –The nonprofit “New Mexico Municipal League” which represents all 106 incorporated cities and towns across New Mexico, wants state lawmakers to speed it up. Specifically, the process the state government uses to approve drinking water and sewage infrastructure projects. The state Water Trust Board makes loans and grants by evaluating drinking water project applications at the end of October each year. However, the league argues this legislative bottleneck means money isn’t released to local communities until the following March or April. Adding, that the long lag time leads to increased costs, supply chain constraints and communities missing construction windows. Across New Mexico, water systems need more than $3 billion for their drinking water infrastructure.