There is a statewide program underway to treat brackish water for various uses such as agriculture. In general for alluvial aquifers water quality decreases with depth and treatment for various uses is required. In SE NM it naturally occurs in the Capitan confined aquifer with water quality decreasing to the southeast. The irony is that oilfield produced water is excluded from the program.
I’ve seen maps of NM brackish water deposits. And it looks like brackish water underlays most of the state.
That said, desalinating brackish water is much cheaper than desalinating sea water. Maybe half the cost.
Why wouldn’t the oil companies treat brackish water —not as a waste but rather as a source of revenue?
There is a water desalination plant in El Paso TX which may be one of the largest brackish water desalination plants in the world.
There is brackish water under nearly all of west Texas.
Why wouldn’t NM have these kinds of plants all over the places in NM where water is in short supply.
Yes water can be dangerous care is requirtd in AZ NM Utah