Water

Water Conservation

UNM Utility Services provides domestic water to the campus community. Because climate change poses challenges for the drought-prone Southwest, an area that is expected to get hotter and drier, water-conservation measures are included in all UNM building, grounds, and landscaping projects.

Water Facts: The university’s first well was constructed in 1904. In a typical year, the UNM water system delivers about 270 million gallons to the campus.

Some of the greatest water savings come from:

  • Conserving over 4 million gallons of water per year by using reverse osmosis in UNM’s heating system.
  • Low-flow fixtures in all new construction.
  • Programmable, efficient irrigation systems.
  • Irrigation sensors on campus that have flow sensors with leak detection and capability to monitor evapotranspiration (ET).
  • Removing turf and replacing it with drought-tolerant landscaping.
  • 7 million gallons of water are saved each year by reusing chiller cooling tower blowdown water for North Golf Course irrigation.

  • Utility Services has received the “Impact on Water, Efficiency, and the Environment” award from IWE for multiple projects in 2024, 2025, and 2026 that cumulatively save millions of gallons annually.

Water Quality

The UNM Environmental Health & Safety Department (EHS) and UNM Utility Services work together to maintain quality drinking water for campus consumers. EHS annually produces a drinking water quality report. The report complies with the Safe Drinking Water Act and is delivered via email to all faculty and staff on the Albuquerque campuses.