Belen Water Conservation Initative

Water Conservation Enforcement

The City of Belen is requesting your cooperation in following the requirements of Water Waste Ordinance 2008-1.

Water Run Off from landscape watering, car washing, or other activities is not allowed.
Watering may not take place between 10:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m. during April 1 through September 30th.
Shut-off nozzles are required on all water hoses.
The penalties for violating this ordinance are listed below.
City of Belen Water Conservation Enforcement
The City of Belen adopted Water Waste Ordinance No. 2008-1, and became effective on March 27, 2008.
First violation will result in a verbal warning or placement of a door hanger.
Second violation is a written notice.
Third violation will result in a $50.00 fine plus court costs incurred.
Fourth violation will result in a $100.00 fine plus court costs incurred.
Fifth violation will result in the disconnection of water service.
Complete ordinance can be viewed right here.
For more information about the ordinance, contact Robert Rimorin or Leona Chavez at the City of Belen Water Department, 505-966-2730.

Water Use Facts City of Belén

For over 265 years Belén has thrived along the banks of the Rio Grande. The rich fertile land provided food and nourishment for its residents while the waters of the Rio Grande brought vital water from the mountains of Northern New Mexico. This spring the City of Belen will begin its water conservation initiative. Recently, the Middle Rio Grande Council of Governments conducted a survey; here are facts they uncovered about water usage in the Rio Grande Valley.

The City of Belen claims an appropriation of 2924.524 acre feet of water rights, which includes 960 acre feet of San Juan Chama water rights, and 398.124 acre feet of transferred irrigation rights. A proposed transfer of 8.40 acre feet of irrigation rights is currently pending.
The water system currently services a 2005 population of 6,901, and anticipates a significant increase in future growth.
The City's drinking water supply is produced through ground water diversion only.
All water users on the City system are metered.
Five water wells are presently online with the capability to pump 4,285 gallons per minute (gpm), or 6,170,400 gallons per day.
Three City wells are less than 16 years old; 2 wells are 30 years old.
There are five storage tanks in place with a total holding capacity of 5.5 million gallons per day.
Ongoing scheduled maintenance programs for the wells and tanks are in place and funded by the City.
A water system leak detection program is initiated every 3 years.
Water pressure at all points in the City water service area is sufficient for fire protection.
Water treatment requires the addition of chlorine only, at this point in time.
The City's waste water treatment plant returned discharge flows to the Rio Grande of 288,785,000 gallons in the year 2003, or 886 acre feet of water.
The City receives a 50 percent credit (from the Office of the State Engineer) for return flows relating to their water withdrawals, amounting to 443 acre feet in year 2003.
The City produced 555,374,244 gallons of water for year 2003, or 1704 acre feet.
The City billed for 356,017,942 gallons of water for year 2003, or 1,092 acre feet.
The difference between the production and billing for 2003 results in 199,356,000 gallons, or 612 acre feet of Unaccounted for Water, or 36%.
Average daily water demand is 1,521,573 gallons per day (gpd).
Average daily water use per person per day is 220 gallons per capita per day (gpcd).
The low month daily average water use in 2003 was 127 gpcd.
The high month daily average water use in 2003 was 414 gpcd.

Location:100 S. Main St MAP
Belen, New Mexico 87002
Office Phone:505-966-2730
Fax:505-864-8408

Brochures provided by the Office of the State Engineer