Desalination in Depth, Part 3: Alamogordo’s 40-Year Water Plan – Progress, Challenges, and the Road Ahead

Alamogordo, NM – January 02, 2026

As our three-part series “Desalination in Depth” concludes, we reflect on Alamogordo’s long-term water strategy, anchored by the 40-Year Water Development Plan (updated 2015–2055). Reviewed every five years to align with New Mexico’s 50-Year Water Action Plan, it addresses drought risks, growth, and resilient brackish desalination.

Concise Series Recap

Part 1 traced the Snake Tank Desalination RO project: water rights applied for in 2000, BLM-approved in 2012, with a 1 MGD expandable peaking plant now awaiting full 16-mile pipeline completion. Location an issue from poor initial site selection. Present city leadership and taxpayers cleaning up poor design and decision of the past. Sustainable safe water requires investment abd upgrades now or risk system failure issues like Rio Rancho and huge taxpayer liability if not addressed now due to years of infrastructure neglect. 

Part 2 covered economics and realities versus myths: RO costs $1.25–$3.00+ per 1,000 gallons due to energy and maintenance; once online, it will supply 18–20% of demand via affordable blending with cheaper sources, following proven Texas models (e.g., El Paso’s 5–25% blends at comparable rates). RO water is purer but can taste “flat”; it serves as a drought-peaking supplement, not primary supply.

Key Milestones and Current Status

Conservation: Per-capita use down from 260 gallons (1990s) to 165 today via tiered rates and restrictions.

Infrastructure: Rate hikes funding $160+ million in repairs; current losses 1.6 MGD (33%) must be addressed or rates will continue to rise and water loss will be catastrophic for longterm. 

2025 Distribution System Master Plan Update: In August 2025, CDM Smith presented a comprehensive new master plan to the City Commission, marking a significant refresh of the distribution component within the broader 40-Year Plan. This calibrated hydraulic model—developed using GIS data, SCADA records, billing history, and 26 field hydrant flow tests from 2023—provides the city’s first unified, accurate tool for simulating system performance. It projects average daily demand growing from 4.9 MGD today to 6.65 MGD by 2043, with maximum-day (peak summer) demand approaching 12 MGD under a conservative 1.2% annual growth assumption. Critically, the model confirmed high non-revenue water losses (1.6 MGD or 33% of supply) and identified deficiencies in fire flow (especially Zone 4 southwest hydrants below 500 GPM minimum), circulation, and pressure management.

The plan’s $4.38 million recommended capital program prioritizes cost-effective improvements: pipe looping and selective upsizing for better flow and redundancy, PRV adjustments, enhanced circulation to reduce water age and disinfection byproducts, full SCADA implementation for real-time monitoring, a formal AWWA M36 water audit ($40–50K), and systematic valve exercising.

Operational recommendations include clearer pressure-zone labeling and a potential ordinance requiring individual in-home PRVs (cost $300–$1,000 per home, typically homeowner-paid) where static pressures exceed 80 psi—avoiding far more expensive system-wide pressure reduction infrastructure. 

This update is pivotal because it gives staff a reliable decision-making tool to test future improvements, size mains for new development, ensure reliable fire protection, and systematically drive down losses—directly supporting integration of the upcoming brackish RO supply without overwhelming the distribution network.

Desalination RO: $12 million pipeline phase starts late summer 2026; long-term need up to 7,675 acre-feet/year brackish by 2055.

The updated plan supports ARWSP integration while protecting surface waters vital for Holloman AFB and growth.

What Lies Ahead for the McDonald Administration, the New Commission and Residents

Mayor Sharon McDonald and a new commission takes office at a turning point: decades of planning are finally converging into tangible action.

The immediate challenge is sequencing investments wisely—completing critical pipeline segments and distribution upgrades without triggering unaffordable rate spikes for fixed-income households and the commission having the courage to continue the path forward locked into place last year. Failure of courage to stay the course will cost millions more over the longterm. 

Short-term priorities include the continued advancing of the 2026 pipeline phase, tackling long-neglected areas like Walker Road’s 70-year-old mains and others throughout the city, and beginning implementation of the master plan’s leak-reduction and circulation improvements, which could recover hundreds of thousands of gallons daily.

Over the next decade, activating the RO plant will provide the first drought-proof peaking capacity in the city’s history, while the $4.38 million distribution program and remaining ~$30–50 million in brackish infrastructure must be funded and built amid rising construction costs. Thus sooner rather than later. 

Long-term success hinges on closing projected supply gaps by 2055, potentially through phased RO expansion as an option, expanding effluent reuse with incentives, and continued aggressive conservation.

The choices ahead are not easy: sustain the momentum of multi-decade investments to avert the kind of water crises seen in Rio Rancho and other communities, while ensuring rates remain manageable and growth is responsible.

With conservation achievements locked in, a freshly updated and actionable master plan in hand, and desalination activation on the near horizon if pipelines are completed, Alamogordo stands poised for a more resilient future—if leadership prioritizes steady progress and the community stays engaged and focused on now and the future. 

Residents play a vital role. Attend City Commission meetings to stay informed, participate in “Voices of Alamogordo” forums, and follow project updates.

Informed, civil dialogue ensures decisions reflect community values and shared sacrifice for a sustainable water supply that will serve generations to come.

Sustainable water secures our future—one gallon at a time.

Sources and links supporting the key details in the article series on Alamogordo’s water future, including the 2025 distribution system master plan update, the 40-Year Water Development Plan, the brackish desalination project (Snake Tank RO/ARWSP), infrastructure needs, conservation progress, and related milestones:

• Official City of Alamogordo Water Resource Planning Page (includes links to historical 40-Year Water Development Plans, such as 2015–2055 and prior iterations):
https://ci.alamogordo.nm.us/858/Water-Resource-Planning

• City of Alamogordo Utilities Administration (references the brackish reverse osmosis treatment facility and overall system):
https://ci.alamogordo.nm.us/828/Utilities-Administration

• 2nd Life Media / Alamogordo Town News Series Articles (detailed reporting on the August 2025 CDM Smith presentation, master plan update, 40-Year Plan status, desalination history/economics, and pipeline progress):

• August 2025 water master plan update and 40-Year Plan overview: https://2ndlifemediaalamogordo.town.news/g/alamogordo-nm/n/333581/2nd-life-media-reports-alamogordos-40-year-water-plan-plan-sustainability

• Desalination Part 1 (Snake Tank project history): https://2ndlifemediaalamogordo.town.news/g/alamogordo-nm/n/354314/alamogordos-brackish-water-desalination-facility-supplemental-resource

• Desalination Part 2 (costs, capacity, blending): https://2ndlifemediaalamogordo.town.news/g/alamogordo-nm/n/354385/desalination-depth-part-2-costs-capacity-and-why-alamogordos-plant

• Alamogordo Daily News (preview of the August 2025 City Commission presentation on the water master plan update by CDM Smith):
https://www.alamogordonews.com/2025/08/city-commission-to-hear-update-on-water-plan/

• Historical Overview of Alamogordo Regional Water Supply Project (ARWSP) (New Mexico’s first large-scale municipal desalination project):
https://www.amtaorg.com/alamogordo-regional-water-supply-new-mexicos-first-largescale-municipal-desalination-project

• Mayor Sharon McDonald Election and Transition (2025 election results and context):
https://2ndlifemediaalamogordo.town.news/g/alamogordo-nm/n/348420/historic-night-sharon-mcdonald-becomes-presumptive-mayor-elect-alamogordo-mayors-race

These sources (primarily official city pages and local independent journalism from 2nd Life Media) provide the factual foundation for the series, including projections, costs, conservation data, and 2025 updates. Note that detailed CDM Smith presentation documents or full commission minutes/videos may be available via city archives or public records requests through ci.alamogordo.nm.us.

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