Regional Water Planning and Implementation –

An El Paso Success Story

Ed Archuleta, President/CEO El Paso Water Utilities

September 2012

Agenda

City of El Paso/El Paso Water Utilities Regional Water Resources Drought Desalination Sustainable Water Supplies Region E Planning Water Conservation Regional Planning Efforts Summary

El Paso, Texas Profile

Sixth largest city in Texas Located in the Chihuahuan

Desert EPWU service area: 800,600

people Over 300 days of sunshine,

70° average daily temperature Low humidity and average

rainfall of 9”-10” per year

El Paso Water Utilities Public Service Board

Created in 1952 by City ordinance

Comprised of 7 members to include the Mayor

The PSB sets policy, adopts fiscal budgets, rates and fees, and approves an annual strategic plan for 4 utilities

EPWU provides water service to 97 percent of

El Paso County (750,000+ residents)

EPWU’s capital improvement needs over the next

10 years are projected to be over $800 million

EPWU Service Area

UPPER VALLEY WWTP

KAY BAILEY HUTCHISON DESALINATION PLANT

Surface Water

Groundwater

Reclaimed Water

Desalination

Conservation

Importation

El Paso’s Diversified Resources

50-Year Water Resource Management Plan adopted in 1991

Amount of sustainable water (Where is it going to come from?)

Cost (How to pay for development of water resources?)

When to implement these “new” programs?

Key Water Issues

Regional Water Resources

MEXICO

UNITED STATES

Ciudad Juárez

TEXAS

NEW MEXICO

Mesilla Bolson

Hueco Bolson

Elephant Butte Dam

West Texas Aquifers

EL PASO

Managing Drought in El Paso

Increased Conservation &

Desalination

Reclaimed Water

Managing Drought

Surface Water Strategies

Emergency Management

Rule

Groundwater Strategies

Drought History 19

97

1998

1999

2000

2001

2002

2003

2004

2005

2006

2007

2008

2009

2010

2011

2012

Only 3 of the past 16 years has runoff

into Elephant Butte been above average

2012 Drought Summary

EPWU received reduced river water allocation 37,000 AF compared to 60,000 AF River releases began late and ended early River gates at Caballo closed in the middle of

season Two river water treatment plants shut down Three week critical conservation period in May

Bureau of Reclamation: Upper Colorado Region Historic Data

0

500,000

1,000,000

1,500,000

2,000,000

2,500,000 19

15

1920

19

25

1930

19

35

1940

19

45

1950

19

55

1960

19

65

1970

19

75

1980

19

85

1990

19

95

2000

20

05

2010

Acre

-Fee

t Elephant Butte Reservoir

Historic Levels

Rio Grande Runs Dry May 12, 2012

0

20

40

60

80

100

120

140

160

1-M

ay

2-M

ay

3-M

ay

4-M

ay

5-M

ay

6-M

ay

7-M

ay

8-M

ay

9-M

ay

10-M

ay

11-M

ay

12-M

ay

13-M

ay

14-M

ay

15-M

ay

16-M

ay

17-M

ay

18-M

ay

19-M

ay

20-M

ay

21-M

ay

22-M

ay

23-M

ay

24-M

ay

25-M

ay

26-M

ay

27-M

ay

28-M

ay

29-M

ay

30-M

ay

31-M

ay

1-Ju

n 2-

Jun

3-Ju

n 4-

Jun

5-Ju

n 6-

Jun

7-Ju

n 8-

Jun

9-Ju

n 10

-Jun

11-Ju

n

Mill

ion

Gal

lons

Water Resources Used

May – June 2012

Desalination Plant Stored Pond Water Surface Water Groundwater

0

10,000

20,000

30,000

40,000

50,000

60,000

70,000

80,00019

6719

6919

7119

7319

7519

7719

7919

8119

8319

8519

8719

8919

9119

9319

9519

9719

9920

0120

0320

0520

0720

0920

11

Acre

/Fee

t per

Yea

r

Hueco Bolson PumpingIntegrated Water

Resource Plan Adopted

Desalination Plant

Kay Bailey Hutchison Desalination Plant

Opened in 2007 to deal with: Drought Emergency situations Growth Brackish water intrusion

Desalination Plant Details

Up to 27.5 MGD capacity Raw water forced through

membranes to separate salts and contaminants

5 skids Usually runs at 1-2 skids Operated at full capacity for the first

time in May 2012

Kay Bailey Hutchison Desalination Plant Production Jan. 2012– July 2012

100,000

200,000

300,000

400,000

500,000

600,000 Th

ousa

nd o

f Gal

lons

No Surface Water

Kay Bailey Hutchison Desalination Plant

Award winning plant A model for other

water utilities Research facility Toured by national

and international visitors

Concentrate Disposal

3 Injection Wells Surface Injection

Facilities Concentrate Pipeline

(22 mi) Less costly and less

environmental impact than evaporation

Sustainable Water Supplies

How We Got There?

EPWU reduced Hueco pumping in 1989 Fundamentally changed conclusion

reached in 1979 (depletion of fresh groundwater by 2030)

Resulted in a “nearly sustainable” supply Updated model developed by USGS New data collected during drilling

Key Assumptions to“Nearly Sustainable Supply” for El Paso Portion of Hueco

EPWU pumping: 40,000 AF/yr in “normal” years 75,000 AF/yr in drought years

Juarez pumping: 120,000 AF/yr

Previous Actions of Public Service Board

Extended availability of local supplies through Conservation Ordinance Investment in additional surface water rights

and treatment capacity Investment in wells Investment in desalination facilities Investment in transmission facilities Investments in data collection and model

development

Future Fresh Groundwater Storage Decline

Average storage decline = 22,000 AF/yr Attribute all storage decline to fresh

groundwater area After 100 years: 75% of 2002 fresh groundwater storage

remains “Near sustainability”

Region E Planning

Importation of Water

Hudspeth

Jeff Davis

El Paso

Presidio

Culberson

Wild Horse Ranch

Wild Horse Ranch Acreage 20,946

Antelope Valley Ranch Acreage 24,778

Capitan Reef Farms Acreage 27,554

Antelope Valley Ranch

Dell City

Capitan Reef Farms

Water Conservation

Conservation Efforts in El Paso

EPWU reduced Hueco pumping in 1989. Made possible by:

Increased surface water use Rate structure changes Conservation Public education and awareness Increased reclaimed water use

Campaign Objectives:

Decrease per capita water consumption

Increase awareness of water conservation April

– September

Brand El Paso as a conservation leader

Media and Public Relations Efforts Continue

Watering schedule reminders TV and radio live interviews Community events and workshops Home Depot partnership El Paso Times partnership

Regional Planning

Planning with JMAS

Areas of Interest Between the Two Water Utilities (EP/Juarez)

Continued interaction with regional partners

Tri-regional planning related to water within Rio Grande (TX/NM/Mexico)

Groundwater modeling of the aquifers

Exchange of information with regard to drilling, water consumption, water quality, water reuse, and reclaimed water

Development of information with regard

to the joint management of the Bolsons along with water conservation, joint public affairs campaigns, media events, etc.

Development of a proposal(s) to

respective State and/or Federal governments for funding opportunities re: joint projects

Additional Areas of Interest

Conclusions - Past and Present

Improved data and analytical tools have provided EPWU better information about the Hueco (Similar studies are needed in Mesilla Bolson)

Major Public Service Board water planning and policy implementation have improved conditions in Hueco: Diversification of water resources and

Pumping reductions; resulting in stabilized groundwater levels in many areas

Regional water planning and implementation has been a success and must continue

Expected population growth will result in increased water demands

Continued need for the following: Expanding infrastructure

Development of non-traditional local supplies to

include re-use

Acquisition of data collection and analytical tools

Continued conservation

Summary

GRACIAS / THANK YOU