New Mexico is progressing steadily toward water bankruptcy, a condition scientists define as a persistent post-crisis state in which water withdrawals have exceeded renewable supplies for so long that critical water resources are depleted and a return to former conditions is irreversible, even at prohibitive cost.[1] New Mexico is experiencing major decreases in surface water supplies needed to meet present and future requirements of our people and economy. New Mexicans have reacted by increasingly pumping groundwater, accelerating depletion of this dwindling resource. Along the Rio Grande and other rivers, unsustainable groundwater pumping induces recharge from the river that diverts streamflow underground, depriving downstream water rights holders of their water.
New Mexico Is Spending Its Water Into Bankruptcy
Unfortunately, our population appears to be generally unaware this is occurring. Regrettably, our governor, the majority of our legislators, and almost all candidates for these offices in the upcoming elections doing little to help our population learn about the true water supply emergencies we face. State water agencies are understaffed and slow. They lack the executive direction and tools, such as water metering and modern data systems, that are required for workable water governance. Their leaders take direction from a Governor who prioritizes speculative new water schemes while neglecting the stewardship and managed conservation necessary for lawful distribution of shrinking water supplies.
After all, telling the plain truth New Mexico is in a water overuse and scarcity emergency would clash with the Governor’s and the economic development community’s priority of recruiting data centers and other high water use industry.
This clash resembles that found in other southwestern states, except for Texas. Last November, 70 percent of Texas voters said yes to commit $20 billion, a first and major step to help ensure their state’s population and industries have a reliable water supply.[2]
The Texas Legislature and Voters Choose a Better Path
As reported in the Environmental Defense Fund’s (EDF) Winter 2026 quarterly magazine, Solutions, the Texas voters passed Proposition 4, creating the largest water supply investment in Texas’ history, all funded by its existing sales tax.[3] This is a significant first step to fund the $150 billion estimate budget needed for Texas to address its coming and ongoing water supply requirements.
Our claim that “New Mexico is a better place to live than Texas” needs to be backed up with actions, because water makes our lives here possible. Without water, there is nothing.
Proposition 4 initially targets building new water supply systems and helping it patch aging water supply pipes that are now estimated to leak out 30 percent of Texas’ treated drinking water supply. It also targets developing and advancing innovative and cost-effective projects for wastewater reuse, agricultural water conservation, groundwater protection, wetlands restoration, and land conservation. Like New Mexico, the Texas projects also face challenges that include the lack of legal constraints on groundwater pumping and historical water right allocations.
Seeing what the citizens of Texas have accomplished — voting 70 percent in favor of a $20 billion first step toward water security — it is well past time to do something similar in New Mexico. Our claim that “New Mexico is a better place to live than Texas” needs to be backed up with actions, because water makes our lives here possible. Without water, there is nothing. Our overuse is badly damaging New Mexico children’s future.
New Mexicans do not have the option Texas voters exercised. In Texas, a two-thirds vote of their legislature placed Proposition 4 on the ballot — and 70% of Texas voters delivered. New Mexico’s legislature has not. Our governor, our legislature, and our water agencies hold powers that citizens cannot exercise for themselves, powers that are being sorely neglected. New Mexico Water Advocates urges our state’s leaders to act with the resolve Texas demonstrated. We urge every reader to demand it. As EDF says, “It’s not just about money…. It’s about finally recognizing that water is our most precious resource, and it is time to start acting like it.”
[1] Madani, K. (2026). Water Bankruptcy: The Formal Definition. Water Resources Management, 40, 78. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11269-025-04484-0
[2] Martinez, Alejandra. “Texas Set to Make $20 Billion Investment in Water After Voters Approve Proposition 4.” The Texas Tribune, November 4, 2025. https://www.texastribune.org/2025/11/04/texas-elections-2025-water/
[3] “Texas Voters Say Yes to $20 Billion Water Fund.” Solutions, Environmental Defense Fund, Winter 2026. https://vitalsigns.edf.org/story/texas-voters-say-yes-20-billion-water-fund