Dear Acequia Community,

We are joining our partners at Amigos Bravos in sounding the alarm about a dangerous move by the oil and gas industry – and we need your voices to protect New Mexico’s waters.

On Tuesday, August 12th, the Water Quality Control Commission will hear a petition from oil and gas insiders to overturn hard-won protections that currently keep toxic fracking wastewater – what they call “produced water” – out of our streams, rivers, and groundwater.

Just last year, after 18 months of study, the Commission determined there is no safe way to treat produced water for discharge to the environment. That was a victory for all of us who depend on clean, healthy water. Now, the oil and gas industry is trying to undo that ruling. Tomorrow is the time to speak up and call upon the WQCC to leave the current rule in place and to NOT REOPEN the rulemaking to remove water protections.

What: Water Quality Control Commission – Produced Water Rule 2.0 Hearing
When: Tuesday, August 12, 2025
Where: New Mexico State Capitol, Room 307 or via Zoom
Virtual link: Join the hearing via Zoom
Meeting number: 2865 437 5193 | Password: YJxSc3JgM99

• The technology to treat produced water safely does not exist at the scale the industry proposes.
  
  
• PFAS “forever chemicals” and other toxins in produced water pose serious risks to public health and ecosystems.
  
  
• Hundreds of chemicals in fracking wastewater have no water quality standards in New Mexico.
  
  
• Transparency is lacking – the industry keeps about 11% of chemical components secret from the public.
  
• Protect clean water in our acequias - we rely on clean water for our communal and economic well being. Help protect our acequias from contamination and protect our traditional ways of life.

The Commission will take a limited number of public comments. If you speak, you might say:

“My name is _______ and I am a parciante/commissioner/mayordomo on (name of your acequia). I oppose allowing produced water to be discharged outside the oil and gas industry. This is a risk to public health, our acequias, and the waters that sustain our communities.”

You can add:

• Why clean water is personally important to you.
  
• That the Water Quality Control Commission already decided this issue last year after extensive testimony.
• NMED's experts will not be allowed to give expert testimony as they did in the previous rulemaking process. 

Let’s fill the hearing room and Zoom call with defenders of New Mexico’s water. Together, we can keep toxic wastewater out of the waters that nourish our people, land, and future generations.

In solidarity,

The New Mexico Acequia Association

www.lasacequias.org

(505) 995-9644