N.M. Stat. § 3-61-1
Power to create metropolitan water board; exercise of
power.
In addition to all other powers granted to municipalities and counties, the board of
county commissioners of any county and the governing board of any municipality lying
totally or partially within the boundaries of that county may, by the passage of identical
ordinances that comply with the provisions of Section 3-61-1.1 NMSA 1978, create a
metropolitan water board of not more than ten members and grant to that board that
portion of the powers of the municipality and the county which pass the identical
ordinances necessary to allow the board to:
A. contract for, lease or sublease any supply of water which the municipality and the
county in combination with any other entity, public or private, may receive from the
United States department of the interior, bureau of reclamation, for municipal, domestic
or industrial purposes pursuant to the Reclamation Act of 1902 (32 Stat. 388), the Act of
June 13, 1962 (76 Stat. 96) and the Act of April 11, 1956 (70 Stat. 105), all as amended
or supplemented;
B. enter into contracts, leases or subleases with other agencies of the United States
and the state of New Mexico for purposes related to municipal, industrial and domestic
water use, as necessary, pursuant to appropriate federal and state law; and
C. conduct or engage in analysis or studies of the short and long range availability
and need of water resources and of ways to accomplish more efficient use of water
resources for purposes related to municipal, industrial and domestic water use in order
to provide recommendations thereon.