Enchanted Hills
Enchanted Hills, NM water profile — supply sources, drought status, wastewater reuse, and the key water issues facing the city.
Enchanted Hills, NM is a small but growing city, with a population near 87,521 and the 4th-largest community in New Mexico. Like much of New Mexico, Enchanted Hills draws its water primarily from Rio Grande, Pecos River, and groundwater.
Enchanted Hills's water outlook is shaped most by drought — the issue that dominates planning across New Mexico. Chronic Rio Grande shortfalls and a produced-water reuse debate make New Mexico a proving ground for arid-state policy.
Enchanted Hills sits in a state that reuses roughly 18% of treated wastewater (developing programs) and currently experiences severe to extreme drought.
For the bigger picture, see the New Mexico state water profile and the related issues below.
At a glance
- Population ~87,521 (4th-largest in New Mexico)
- Primary sources: Rio Grande, Pecos River, and groundwater
- Drought: severe to extreme conditions
- State reuse rate: ~18% of wastewater
Statewide drought history
% of New Mexico in severe+ drought (Extreme (D3) now).
Source: U.S. Drought Monitor
Common questions
Is tap water safe in Enchanted Hills?
Enchanted Hills is served by community water systems regulated under the Safe Drinking Water Act. Statewide, 68.8% of New Mexico's systems have a recent health-based violation. Check your provider's annual Consumer Confidence Report for local results.
Where does Enchanted Hills get its water?
Enchanted Hills draws from the same regional sources that serve New Mexico: Rio Grande, Pecos River, groundwater.
Related water issues
Drought
Much of the American West is in a multi-decade dry period that researchers describe as the most severe in over a millennium, reshaping how communities plan for water.
ExploreColorado River
The river that supplies 40 million people has lost roughly a fifth of its flow since 2000, forcing a renegotiation of how seven states share the water.
ExploreGroundwater Depletion
Aquifers from the Central Valley to the Ogallala are being pumped faster than they recharge, causing land subsidence and threatening long-term supply.
ExplorePotable Reuse
Advanced purification turns treated wastewater into water that meets or exceeds drinking-water standards — increasingly essential in water-stressed regions.
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