Officials break ground on pipeline

Officials on Thursday broke ground on a pipeline project intended to deliver 6.5 million gallons of water per day to the city of Portales. If all goes as planned, the water should begin to flow about 2031.

The Eastern New Mexico Water Utility Authority calls it Finished Water 3B of the Ute Water Project. The ceremony was held at the intersection of Lime Street and Boston Avenue in Portales. 

FW3B is scheduled for completion in about a year. It will cost "about $15.5 million," according to ENMWUA Director Orlando Ortega. It's funded by federal, state and local tax dollars.

"For generations to come ... residents of this community will have water security as a result of these partnerships, and as a result of the commitment to completing a project," said ENMWUA Chair and Clovis Mayor Mike Morris, as a pile of massive blue PVC pipes collected sunlight behind him.

Water authority officials said it's an important step to completing the Ute Pipeline Project, which is scheduled to send water from Ute lake in Quay County to Clovis, Portales, Texico and Elida by 2031.

"This project is completing the remainder of the Portales transmission pipeline to its connection point here on Lime street," Ortega said. "So if you go to this intersection right across the street, you'll see there's a buried 3-million gallon storage tank there, and pump station. We're delivering the water to that location."

Newly minted state engineer Elizabeth Anderson was on hand, approving of the project. 

"I worked on this project when it was just in its infancy, and to see where it is now, of being constructed, and to the point where it's going to be bringing water to all of your communities, it's just really incredible," Anderson said.