The Utilities Department is divided into six sub-departments. The Utilities Department has approximately 65 employees in almost 9 different job classifications, including technical, clerical, skilled craft, and unskilled workers. The Department is responsible for the design, construction, installation, operation, maintenance, and/or repair

of sewers, water distribution, water production, and wastewater treatment facilities.

24-hour utility emergency response is maintained at Central Control (347-5421), to respond to problems reported by the public and other agencies as well as other major emergencies, such as vehicle accidents, floods, windstorms, and snowstorms. Each department also takes regular calls from the public with respect to water and sewer on a daily basis.

All sanitary sewage within the corporate limits of the City of Roswell is collected in a network of pipes and transmitted to an existing sewage treatment plant operated by the city. This plant is located east of the city at 2800 East College Blvd. The locations and pipe sizes of the wastewater interceptor pipe network are illustrated on Figure 6, Public Utilities.

The sewer collection system consists of 250 miles of sewer lines and approximately 4000 manholes. There are three lift stations. One is located at the Roswell Industrial Air Center, another is located on Mescalero Street, and the third sewage pump station is located on West Alameda and serves one dwelling.

Average daily dry weather sewage flow in 1995 was 4.0 MGD with commercial and industrial flow comprising less than 1.0 MGD of the total flow. Projected sewage flows for the year 2005 were anticipated to be 8.0 MGD but this hasn= t been met. The current average flow continues to be 4.0 MGD.

To date the City is upgrading the wastewater treatment plant and changing the secondary treatment process to activated sludge. This will enable the facility to meet future restrictions on nitrate production, and chlorine storage. The construction should be completed in 2007. The design criteria will remain at 7.5 MGD, and the peak flow being will be15 MGD. These are the flow parameters used for the design of the existing plant.

Sewage lines identified as needing up-sizing in the 1980 master plan have been completed. Flows today remain low and the existing system is not being hydraulically overloaded. An area of concern is the hydrogen sulfide degradation of concrete manholes installed during that era. Because of the low flows, the sewage remains and turns septic in the sewer lines and begins to produce hydrogen sulfide. This compound converts to sulfuric acid and forms on the manhole walls. The sulfuric acid attacks the cement and turns it into a powdery substance and diminishes the strength of the concrete. Protective coatings or non-corrosive construction materials were not being used in the construction of the manholes and now they are slowly decaying from the hydrogen sulfide. Manholes constructed out of red brick seem to resist the decay, but the cement grout used to bind the bricks is brittle in some areas. The Utilities Department has identified this problem and is currently rehabilitating the manholes utilizing an alumina silicate concrete, (this material returns the structural strength) and an epoxy coat that is applied to the interior of the manholes to give them a corrosive resistant coating.

The City Water distribution employees are based out of 300 East Walnut situated on 1.5 acres of land. City water crews maintain approximately 350 miles of water lines ranging in size from 2 inch to 42 inch water mains.

Water Maintenance and Transmission Department provides water service to about 46,000 City residents. Water is also distributed to areas in close proximity to the city limits or where ground water quality may be detrimental to human health. The City is also connected to the Berrrendo Water Cooperative water distribution system. This was done in order to deliver potable water during emergencies experienced in their system.

The 25-person staff is responsible for operating and maintaining over 349 miles of water mains, 4,000 fire hydrants, valves, and other fittings needed to provide continuous water service to the customers. The staff performs ongoing maintenance, water quality monitoring and treatment, emergency leak repair, answer complaints, checks proposed developer plans, updates water distribution maps, and provides other support for the operation of the system.

Water Production employees are located at Central Control. There are 11 employees and their primary responsibility is the operation and maintenance of 5 reservoirs, 4 pressure regulating stations, and 20 water wells. This facility is operated around the clock and water production and reservoir levels are continuously monitored.

The City has 26,189 acre ft of water rights available for consumption per year. 20,000 acre feet are currently pumped per year. There are 3,888 acre feet of water rights in reserve for future needs. The last source of water rights would be return flow credit for effluent discharged to the Rio Hondo.

Environmental regulatory and compliance programs are maintained by the city staff to comply with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and New Mexico Environment Department regulations. Areas of responsibility are planning, monitoring, regulating,

and/or managing a number of city programs associated with surface and ground water discharge of treated effluent, composting sewage sludge, water and wastewater effluent analysis, industrial pretreatment, and any other new compliance requirements. City staff reviews and regulates industrial wastewater discharges to the sewage system.

The drinking water supply is regulated by EPA and NMED compliance programs. Some of those programs are Consumer Confidence Reports, Lead Copper Rule, NMED analytical reports, and bacteriological analysis. All of these programs combined ensure that the users receive a safe and abundant supply of potable water.