The Pojoaque Basin Regional Water System was initiated after a 2016 federal water rights settlement to resolve Pueblo claims while protecting existing non-Pueblo uses. To increase reliable supply, the Bureau of Reclamation advanced a regional system diverting up to 4,000 acre-feet per year from the Rio Grande. As the fully integrated design-build contractor, CDM Smith is delivering a surface water collection system, advanced membrane treatment plant, and more than 73 miles of transmission and distribution infrastructure.
Through collaborative delivery, we advanced the design and utilized BIM to visualize alternatives for owner consideration before agreeing on construction price. This provided flexibility in decision making with the project’s best interests in mind. construction phases, using open book cost modeling and 90% design packages to align scope with budget.
As the general contractor, we developed detailed construction cost estimates and a cost model that was updated at each design stage to provide the Bureau of Reclamation and project stakeholders with opportunities to provide input in design decisions so that the construction costs fit within the project budget.
The new water system includes a surface water diversion, a 6.23 mgd treatment plant, 73 miles of transmission pipelines, a finished water pump station, a booster pumping plant, five water storage tanks, two forebay tanks, and ancillary facilities with capacity to accommodate increased demand in the future.
The remote location of this project in rural New Mexico included a dozen simultaneously active construction sites spanning 100 square miles. We effectively managed safety and quality of self-performed and subcontracted work through rigorous planning and teamwork.
This $375M progressive design-build mega project includes a surface water diversion, water treatment plant, transmission and distribution pipelines, and storage facilities. As both the designer-of-record and general contractor, CDM Smith’s open-book cost modeling and phased delivery approach helped Reclamation understand how design decisions affect project costs while providing Reclamation, the Pueblos, and the county with opportunities to provide input in design decisions. A structured startup, commissioning, and six-month O&M period will demonstrate the facility’s ability to meet all performance requirements before transitioning to long-term O&M. The completed system will enhance water resiliency, reliability, and improve quality of life for the four Settlement Pueblos and Santa Fe County residents.
