Senate Joint Memorial 4 requests that the Governor of New Mexico instruct state agencies and authorities to urgently advance and coordinate the conversion, purification, and transmission of remote agricultural water resources to the city of Portales and Roosevelt County for municipal drinking water. The bill highlights the critical water supply issues faced by Portales, which has seen a significant depletion of its groundwater resources from the Ogallala/High Plains aquifer. It emphasizes the need for immediate action to secure additional purified drinking water, particularly as the city has been under severe water restrictions and is experiencing litigation over water resource allocation.

The memorial calls for a comprehensive plan to be developed that includes investigating potential resources for delivering purified drinking water, declaring an emergency related to the water insecurity, and coordinating efforts among various state departments and authorities. It also urges the eastern New Mexico water utility authority to utilize the finished water 3 pipeline to facilitate the delivery of drinking water from groundwater sources, including those currently used for agricultural purposes. The resolution aims to ensure that the residents of Portales and Roosevelt County have access to safe drinking water while awaiting the completion of the Ute pipeline project.