City gets grant for wastewater plant

The City of Tucumcari received a $30,000 grant for their wastewater planning efforts from the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

The $30,000 grant will be used for an engineering and environmental study into the possibility of converting the city’s wastewater treatment plant to 100 percent reuse, said City Manager Jared Langenegger.

Tucumcari was among three New Mexico communities to receive the wastewater planning grants, according to a release from Terry Brunner, USDA rural development state director.

Langenegger said the plant works to ensure that it meets the effluent guidelines that are national regulatory standards of the Environmental Protection Agency. He said all treatment facilities must meet certain standards before discharging to water bodies or land, or reused.

Langenegger said the city would save money by converting the plant to 100 percent reuse. He said the city has partnered with the New Mexico State University’s Agricultural Science station in the past to conduct wastewater reuse research. Converting the plan to 100 percent reuse could further benefit that partnership and others developed in the future.

The funds were made available through USDA Rural Development's Rural Utility Service Water and Wastewater Search Grant program, which funds studies and plans for system improvements.

“The communities we funded today are working to build sustainability in their water and wastewater systems, and we are happy to partner with them.” Brunner said. “In New Mexico, protection of water is paramount and solid planning behind that resource is imperative to our rural communities.”