WATER QUALITY COMMISSION PRODUCED WATER RULES

HB 207 requires New Mexico's Water Quality Control Commission to create specific rules allowing the reuse of treated water generated from oil and gas operations (called "produced water"). This bill directly affects oil and gas operators, water treatment facilities, and entities seeking to use this treated water for purposes like irrigation or industrial processes. The key mechanism is mandating the Commission to develop these rules, which must be based on scientific data and consider water quality protection, while ensuring the rules align with existing legal authority under the Water Quality Act. The bill does not specify the exact permitted uses but sets a process for the Commission to establish them.