News Release Archive

Trump Administration awards $46 million construction contract to build two pumping plants for the Navajo-Gallup Water Supply Project

Media Contact: Marlon Duke, 801-524-3774, mduke@usbr.gov
Pat Page, 505-324-5027, ppage@usbr.gov

For Release: September 02, 2020

Computer generated rendition of Tooh Haltsooi Pumping Plant (Pumping Plant #4) looking towards the northwest.FARMINGTON, NM – The Trump Administration is building facilities that will provide secure clean and reliable water to the Navajo Nation and rural communities in northwestern New Mexico.

In order to meet this goal, the Bureau of Reclamation awarded $45,945,150 to Archer Western Construction, LLC of Phoenix, Arizona to construct the Tooh Haltsooi Pumping Plant (Pumping Plant Number 4) near the community of Sheep Springs, New Mexico and Bahastl’ah Pumping Plant (Pumping Plant Number 7) near the communities of Twin Lakes and Coyote Canyon, New Mexico.

“Today, we take another step to provide clean, reliable water supplies to the Navajo Nation and the other project participants in rural communities,” said Commissioner Brenda Burman. “These pumping plants will help deliver water from the San Juan River to communities along the San Juan Lateral pipeline.”

The Navajo-Gallup Water Supply Project will provide a long-term, reliable water supply for 43 chapters on the Navajo Reservation, the southwest area of the Jicarilla Apache Reservation, and the City of Gallup, New Mexico, which is a 7,814 square mile service area - roughly the size of New Jersey. When completed, it will include approximately 300 miles of pipeline, two water treatment plants, 19 pumping plants, and multiple water storage tanks.

The plants are just two of several pumping plants associated with the project and will help convey water through the project pipeline from the San Juan River to Navajo communities and the City of Gallup.

Under this contract, construction will include installation of canned vertical turbine pumps and associated electrical and mechanical equipment, yard piping, and a water treatment building at the Tooh Haltsooi Pumping Plant site. Each will have four equally sized pump and motor units with a total capacity of approximately 47.7 cubic feet per second at Tooh Haltsooi Pumping Plant and 40.4 cfs at Bahastl’ah Pumping Plant. In addition, a million-gallon water storage tank will be constructed at Tooh Haltsooi Pumping Plant and a 1.5-million-gallon water storage tank will be installed at Bahastl’ah Pumping Plant.

Construction of the two plants is expected to take up to three years, and when completed, each plant and associated structures will occupy just over two acres within a fenced area.

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The Bureau of Reclamation is a federal agency under the U.S. Department of the Interior and is the nation's largest wholesale water supplier and second largest producer of hydroelectric power. Our facilities also provide substantial flood control, recreation opportunities, and environmental benefits. Visit our website at https://www.usbr.gov and follow us on Twitter @USBR; Facebook @bureau.of.reclamation; LinkedIn @Bureau of Reclamation; Instagram @bureau_of_reclamation; and YouTube @reclamation.