The bill amends the Water Project Finance Act to enhance the monitoring and protection of New Mexico's drinking water quality through the incorporation of real-time monitoring data. It expands the duties of the board to include the authorization of projects specifically aimed at monitoring water quality, alongside existing priorities such as water storage, wastewater treatment, and flood prevention. Additionally, the authority is tasked with providing grants and loans for real-time water quality monitoring projects, which must be wholly within the state or benefit New Mexico directly.

Key provisions include the establishment of specific conditions for grants and loans related to real-time water quality monitoring, such as the requirement for reporting data to the Department of Environment and a cap on total obligations of the fund. The bill also specifies that grants for these projects shall not exceed $500,000 per application and outlines the types of eligible expenses, including investments in technology for monitoring systems and technical assistance for securing additional funding. Overall, the amendments aim to prioritize public health and safety by ensuring better oversight of water quality in the state.

Statutes affected:
introduced version: 72-4A-5, 72-14-45, 72-4A-7