The Albuquerque Water Authority plans to make a fish habitat from the water outflowing from the Southside Water Reclamation Plant.
The authority also plans to make the site easier to access for joggers, hikers, fishermen and cyclists. The water coming from the plant is so clean that one can see individual rocks sitting on the riverbed.
Wastewater from Albuquerque is processed for reuse at the water reclamation plant. Some of it is recycled as gray water for sprinkler systems, whereas some is extensively cleaned before being discharged into the nearby Rio Grande. According to Diane Agnew, the water rights program manager, the discharge dumps around 55 million gallons in the river every day.
The water has little debris and a pleasant temperature, so fish enjoy swimming there, she says. As a result, fishermen have begun to appreciate it as well. Banner printing could be used to attract people to new sites like these.
However, the outflow might be improved. The SWRP outflow restoration project intends to enhance water quality, promote maintenance and community access, and rebuild the floodplain. The final design is finished, and the project was officially approved however, it still requires $2.5 million in extra funds to be built.
The overall cost of planning, design, permits, and construction will come to around $6.6 million. Some of the money has already been secured from the state government and the Water Trust Board.
