Rising Water

A pricey water project serving Santa Fe city and county is about to get more expensive. The intergovernmental board overseeing the Buckman Direct Diversion treatment plant has set aside $1 million in funds for a lawsuit it might file over structural flaws in the system, which diverts and treats water from the Rio Grande and provides the majority of the county's supply.

The Buckman board, which comprises two representatives from the city and county, as well as one at-large citizen, approved the legal funds during a closed-door meeting this month.

County commissioners on Tuesday voted to allocate up to $470,000 to the legal fund. Funding for Buckman is shared between the city, county and Las Campanas, a private resort community.

The $216 million project has faced numerous setbacks since it began operations in 2011. Of most concern are the high levels of sediment flowing into the treatment facility, which have caused multiple shutdowns over the years.

"[Buckman] is supposed to be built for a lifetime," explained Commissioner Liz Stefanics, a member of the board. "It's not very old, and there are already problems with it."

As problems emerged, the board allocated funds to fix them: $500,000 to repair filtering screens, $500,000 to assess sediment levels, and another $500,000 to replace water pumps. A firm in September estimated that repairs may add up to $36.4 million over 20 years.

At question is whether the sediment levels stem from years-old design flaws or natural occurrences. The $1 million will pay for a legal team to determine who is at fault, according to Commissioner Miguel Chavez.

Santa Fe Reporter