CITY MANAGER
Sarah Austin
July 6, 2023

The City of Portales’ Stage 3 mandate is an additional effort to continue to provide clean and safe water
and maintain an adequate water supply with reserves for our citizens. The City’s wellfield’s capacity to
produce water has been seriously reduced over the last several years due to the decline in water levels in
the part of the Ogallala Aquifer that the wellfields draw water from. This along with extreme drought
conditions and high temperatures prompted the declaration of Stage 3 Water Rationing. The City
continues working with the State of New Mexico to develop and maintain water resources for the
future. Water conservation is still the best option at this time and requires everyone’s combined and
continued effort.

By coming together, the residents and businesses of our city have helped reduce the
demand on the wellfield. The restaurants and car washes along with the other businesses in town
including the Portales Independent School District, have all agreed to stop watering from the system
and follow the required Stage 3 restriction. Eastern New Mexico University has stopped using drinking
water for irrigation, relying instead on their own wells for that purpose. The City of Portales irrigates
the cemetery, softball complex and the soccer fields using reclaimed wastewater and it is also used for
construction purposes where appropriate. The City will continue to provide our citizens with water
conservation tips and ideas which can be found on our website and social media.

The City of Portales, again, thanks our citizens, businesses, and surrounding community for their
continued efforts during this emergency.

As a Reminder Stage 3 Water Rationing has the following requirements:
Outdoor Landscape Watering: NO WATERING, except for trees, shrubs, and vegetable
gardens with SHUT-OFF HOSE AND HAND-HELD CONTAINER.
 Car Washing at Residence: PROHIBITED.
 Washing Down Pavement, Sidewalks, etc.: PROHIBITED.
 Residential Spas, and Residential Swimming Pools, PROHIBITED filling and refilling.
 Ornamental Fountains: PROHIBITED filling and refilling.
Failure to Follow the Emergency Water Rationing Restrictions will RESULT in
DISCONNECTION OF WATER SERVICE as per City Ordinances’ Section 27-15 and 27-