A bill to amend the Aamodt Litigation Settlement Act to modify a provision relating to the extension of certain dates for the completion of the Regional Water System, and for other purposes.

S. 3573 would amend the Aamodt Litigation Settlement Act to extend certain completion dates for the Pojoaque Basin Regional Water System in northern New Mexico. The original 2010 settlement agreement resolved a decades-long water rights dispute involving the Pueblos of Nambé, Pojoaque, San Ildefonso, and Tesuque. The bill would extend deadlines that were originally set for 2024, as construction of the regional water system has experienced delays.

The Pojoaque Basin Regional Water System is designed to provide reliable drinking water to both the four Pueblos and non-Pueblo residents in Santa Fe County who choose to connect to it. The system will deliver up to 2,500 acre-feet of water annually to the Pueblos and up to 1,500 acre-feet to non-Pueblo users, using water diverted from the Rio Grande. The Bureau of Reclamation is managing the project, which is one of the largest infrastructure projects in northern New Mexico. If enacted, this bill would give the project additional time to complete construction, with Phase 2 currently projected for completion in 2029.