A new report from the New Mexico Groundwater Alliance issues a stark warning about the state’s most critical, yet misunderstood, water source. With groundwater supplying nearly 80% of drinking water and over half of the state’s total water, its invisible decline poses an existential threat. The report calls for treating aquifers as essential infrastructure and closing dangerous data gaps in monitoring, especially in rural communities.
Patrick McCarthy, a senior water policy officer for the Thornburg Foundation and alliance member, emphasizes the unique severity of the current crisis. “The water scarcity, water stress that we’re facing now … it’s not your grandfather’s drought,” McCarthy states. He points to higher temperatures and a growing imbalance between use and replenishment, making New Mexico particularly vulnerable. His message is clear: proactive, collaborative, and well-funded strategies are urgently needed to secure the state’s water future.