Jeff Bingaman United States Senator from New Mexico

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Jeff Bingaman today announced that four New Mexico pueblos have been awarded nearly $4 million from the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Rural Development Agency to help make improvements to their water and wastewater systems.

"These grants will make important quality-of-life investments in Indian Country," Bingaman said.  "Without these grants, these much-needed water system upgrades would not be possible."

Funding was provided through a Bingaman-created grant program that supports community development projects in Native American Communities.  Every year Bingaman requests funding to be set aside to fund basic drinking water and wastewater systems, tribal colleges, and business promotion in Indian country.

The following pueblos have been awarded funding:

Pueblo Pintado Chapter of the Navajo Nation - $1 million: Funding will provide a 13-mile 8-inch PVC transmission line to inter-tie the Pueblo Pintado and Whitehorse Lake community water systems, which will allow Pueblo Pintado to utilize Whitehorse Lake's excess storage capacity during outages. The project will also allow Whitehorse Lake well water to supply Pueblo Pintado during emergencies. The project will benefit Whitehorse Lake Chapter of the Navajo Nation, which currently does not have adequate water supply.

Ohkay Owingeh Pueblo - $1 million: Funding will be used for the installation of 100 new meters, 9200 linear feet of water line distribution to improve transmission and distribution, provide for hydraulic capacity and expansion of supply and storage facilities, water treatment, storage, electrical system and controls including electrical service, SCADA system and security fencing.

Pueblo of Jemez - $1 million:  Funding will be used to upgrade the existing water and wastewater systems at the southern end of the Pueblo, which will address critical health and environmental issues and provide safe and environmentally sound water and wastewater infrastructure to the Pueblo Place Housing Project. The proposed multi-phase project will serve both existing and proposed housing with sanitary sewer service including, connecting 10 existing homes to central gravity sewer and treatment system, installing a transmission line and 16 miles of distribution water line within Pueblo Place, two groundwater wells, three storage tanks and an iron, manganese and arsenic removal system.

Pueblo of San Ildefonso - $519,311:  Funding will be used for a new wastewater treatment system that serves the Pueblo's two Westside Communities of Pajarito Village and Battleship Mesa. The proposed project includes a new 12,000 gallons per day capacity aerated wetlands treatment system together with a new drain field for subsurface disposal of treated effluent.  Rehabilitation and upgrades will provide safe, reliable and adequate water and sanitation for the community.

Pueblo of San Ildefonso - $277,802:  Funding will be used for improvement to the pueblo's wastewater system, including: adequately size waterlines for fire flow; a higher tank site on the west side of the river; well refitting for the west side; and transmission and distribution system lines for the west side.