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BDD News

News Release

For More Information, Contact:
Rick Carpenter — 505-955-4206; 660-5696 cell

BUCKMAN: ONE STEP CLOSER

Santa Fe, NM October 13, 2006 – The Buckman Direct Diversion Project has taken a major step forward with the approval of a Facility Operations and Procedures Agreement (FOPA) by the Santa Fe City Council and the Santa Fe County Commission.  The two entities are partners, along with Las Campanas, in the development of the $159 million project, which will add a major source of supply to the regional sustainable water supply.

The Buckman Direct Diversion Project will divert, treat and distribute up to 8,730 acre-feet of water each year.  It will utilize City of Santa Fe, County of Santa Fe and Las Campanas water rights to raw water diverted from the Rio Grande, and will provide as much as 15 million gallons per day of drinking water for the City and County and 3.2 million gallons per day of raw water for Las Campanas.

The recently-approved FOPA addresses the management of the BDD Project to meet the needs of three utilities operated by the City, the County and Las Campanas.  It also covers environmental and water right permits, cost sharing for construction and operation and related issues.  Signing of the agreement culminates over a year and a half of negotiations by elected officials and staff.

The agreement was the third of a series of critical water agreements between the City and County to address the long range water resource needs of the Santa Fe region.  Previous agreements have addressed the relationship between the City and County independent water utilities and the creation of a joint City/County board to oversee the implementation of the Buckman Direct Diversion (BDD) Project to utilize Rio Grande water.  The BDD Project will be operational by late 2009.