FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact:
Mr. Michael A. Morris
Board Chairman
Eastern New Mexico Water Utility Authority (ENMWUA) 801 Pile Street, Suite 214
Clovis, New Mexico 88101
575-935-4262
May 27, 2021
Water Authority gives “Notice to Proceed” on Next Leg of Project
CLOVIS, NM—The Eastern New Mexico Water Utility Authority (ENMWUA) today approved and signed the construction agreement and has given official “Notice to Proceed” (NTP) in the construction of another portion of its water delivery system to eastern New Mexico communities. This action gives the selected contractor, Smithco Construction Inc., a New Mexico company notice to move forward beginning July 6, 2021 with construction of the water pipeline’s next phase known as Finished Water Three A (FW3A). This eleven and-a-half-mile portion of the pipeline will begin northwest of Cannon Air Force Base (CAFB) and continue south toward the Portales water system. The total cost for FW3A that includes engineering services and construction will be approximately $19,284,013.03. The contractor has 360 calendar days from NTP to reach substantial completion and final completion within 420 days.
The FW3A will consist of a 20-inch transmission pipeline that will connect to the Eastern New Mexico Rural Water System’s (ENMRWS) Main Junction Vault located just northwest of CAFB. The transmission pipeline will continue south toward the City of Portales water system. The ENMRWS pipeline will ultimately be able to provide a water supply to Portales and portions of Roosevelt County, Clovis and portions of Curry County, CAFB, Texico, and Elida.
ENMWUA Chairman Michael A. Morris said, “Finished Water 3 (FW3) is another phase of water pipeline that gets us one step further in constructing the Eastern New Mexico Rural Water System. This pipeline will one day provide our member communities with a renewable water source. We are excited to be engaging in this construction.”
Vice-Chair Ron Jackson expressed “We are very proud to have reached this milestone of connecting to Portales. This project brings jobs not only to a New Mexico company, but also to local sub-contractors, construction workers and businesses. We continue to move forward in a positive manner with this pipeline project.”
FW3A is one of two phases of the FW3 16.5-mile pipeline connecting Portales to the Main Junction Vault located northwest of CAFB. The second phase, FW3B will commence immediately after FW3A is complete. Funding for all FW3 is secured.
The Eastern New Mexico Rural Water System is a regional rural water supply project in east- central New Mexico. The purpose of the project is to provide potable water to city and town member agencies and Cannon Air Force Base for municipal, commercial, and industrial use from a renewable surface water supply at Ute Reservoir. The ENMWUA was enacted by the New Mexico State Legislature effective July1, 2010. The member communities are City of Clovis, Town of Elida, City of Portales, and City of Texico.
