Long-Awaited Water Pipeline to Bring Reliable Drinking Water to To’Hajiilee

ALBUQUERQUE – A long-awaited water pipeline project is moving forward to connect the Navajo community of To’Hajiilee west of Albuquerque to the Albuquerque Bernalillo County Water Utility Authority system.

The project is designed to bring a reliable source of clean drinking water to To’Hajiilee, a Navajo Nation chapter located about 30 to 40 miles west of Albuquerque. For years, the community has dealt with water access challenges, unreliable wells and concerns about groundwater quality.

The project includes construction of a roughly 7.5-mile water transmission line that will connect To’Hajiilee to the Albuquerque-area water system. Once completed, the line will allow the community to receive treated drinking water from the regional system that serves Albuquerque and Bernalillo County.

The cost of the project has been estimated at approximately $20 million. Funding has come from several sources, including the American Rescue Plan Act, the New Mexico Water Trust Board, the state Tribal Infrastructure Fund, the Navajo Nation and other project partners.

The Albuquerque Bernalillo County Water Utility Authority has also been involved in the project, with earlier funding connected to the New Mexico Finance Authority. Officials have described the project as a multi-government partnership intended to solve a long-standing water problem for the community.

Albuquerque’s regional water system uses a combination of treated surface water and groundwater. Much of the city’s drinking water now comes from the San Juan-Chama Project, which brings water from the Colorado River Basin into the Rio Grande watershed. The system is supplemented by groundwater wells when needed.

For To’Hajiilee, the new pipeline means the community will no longer have to rely only on local wells or emergency water hauling during shortages. The project is expected to improve water reliability for residents, schools, medical facilities and future community development.

Construction on the pipeline began after years of planning, funding work and negotiations over access and easements. Community leaders have described the project as a major step toward long-term water security for To’Hajiilee.

Once completed, the pipeline is expected to provide a more dependable water supply to a community whose name itself is tied to water. To’Hajiilee is often translated as “drawing water from a well.”