Join three professionals who worked as members of the 2022 NM Water Policy and Infrastructure Task Force to learn about the Water Security Agenda for the 2025 Legislature. The plain truth is the Legislature has, for years, neglected to adequately fund implementation of the laws it has passed and the programs it has started to increase the resilience of New Mexico’s overused and shrinking water supplies. Modernization of state water agencies, robust regional water security planning, and stopping illegal water overuse are essential steps toward improved water security for all New Mexico regions and communities.
Climate warming science was identified early, confirmed repeatedly, and publicly communicated decades ago. Yet organized political opposition and fossil-fuel industry denial delayed action with lasting consequences. This article traces how that shift occurred—and sets the stage for examining what it means for New Mexico’s water future.