Navajo–Gallup Water Supply 

Project Newsletter

If you would like to learn more visit our website at 

https://www.usbr.gov/uc/progact/navajo-gallup/.

1st Quarter, October 2020

Cutter Lateral Being Prepared for Water Delivery

By David Stoliker, P.E., Design Group Chief, Bureau of Reclamation

Construction of the Cutter Lateral bacteria that might be present. Bacterial 

Water Treatment Plant (WTP) is nearing testing follows to prove to the regulatory 

completion and testing of the plant and agencies that the system is disinfected and 

entire Cutter Lateral system has begun. ready to transport potable water.

A team of professionals from the Navajo 2. Coordinate the systematic introduction Tribal Utility Authority (NTUA), Navajo of water to the six distribution systems Nation Department of Water Resources, sequentially – NTUA will be starting the New Mexico Environment Department, introduction of the new treated water

Navajo Nation Environmental to each distribution system in order of Protection Agency, Navajo Engineering its location on the transmission pipeline and Construction Authority, private (i.e., Carson/Huerfano, Dzilth-Na-O- consultants (Jacobs, Woods and Souder Dith-Hle, Nageezi, Ojo Encino North, Miller & Associates), and the Bureau of Torreon/Ojo Encino, and Whitehorse Reclamation are holding daily meetings Lake). NTUA expects to start this to coordinate every detail needed to process in mid-October and each system ensure that all systems are ready to start could take up to one month to complete. producing and delivering good, clean Given six distribution systems, it could drinking water. Some actions being take up to six months to introduce the discussed include: new water to all the distribution systems

1. Flush/clean and disinfect all pipelines on the Cutter Lateral.

and water storage tanks – Flushing is 3. Inform the public – NTUA is done by pushing water through a pipeline working on public radio announcements, at a high flow rate so that the water brochures and other informational

cleans out any last bits of dirt and debris methods to inform the public of what to releasing it through “blow-offs” valves expect. In addition, Reclamation plans along the pipeline. Then the pipelines to conduct a social media campaign and tanks are disinfected with water to provide updates on the testing and containing chlorine (similar to household commissioning process. bleach but approved for disinfecting

drinking water) to kill all the viruses and (Continued on back)

Main Entrance to Cutter Lateral Water Treatment Plant, near Dzilth-na-o-dith-hle, New 

Mexico, in September 2020. (Reclamation photo).

Faces of NGWSP

David Stoliker, the Design Group 

Chief of Reclamation’s Four Corners 

Construction Office is retiring in 

January 2021 after a fulfilling career of 

public service. 

In a career spanning six decades, 

David has made relationships a 

priority – a trait that has served him 

well everywhere he’s been – from 

Washington D.C. with the EPA, to 

Crownpoint with IHS, to Albuquerque 

and Santa Fe with local governments, 

and to Chicago with the Federal 

Energy Regulatory Commission. For 

the last 6 years, David has been with 

Reclamation leading the design data 

gathering efforts on NGWSP. In 

this role he has not only led key tasks 

associated with NGWSP (including 

getting the Cutter Lateral operational), 

but he has been a strong advocate of 

developing and mentoring the new 

crop of Reclamation engineers that he 

supervises. 

His presence in the office and passion 

for helping bring water to the people 

will be greatly missed – we wish him 

the best as he starts this latest phase of 

his life! 
Navajo–Gallup Water Supply 

Project Newsletter

If you would like to learn more visit our website at 

https://www.usbr.gov/uc/progact/navajo-gallup/.

1st Quarter, October 2020

By Chico Quintana, Civil Engineer, Bureau of Reclamation

On September 2, 2020, 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 the Bahastl’ah Pumping Plant 

(Pumping Plant Number 7) near the Navajo 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.” 

Under this contract, construction will include installation of Haltsooi Pumping Plant and 40.4 cfs at Bahastl’ah Pumping 

canned vertical turbine pumps and associated electrical and Plant. Water storage tanks will also be constructed at each site. 

mechanical equipment, yard piping, and a water treatment Construction is scheduled to begin in mid-January of 2021, and building at the Tooh Haltsooi Pumping Plant site. Each will is expected to take up to 3 years to complete. have four equally sized pump and motor units with a total 

capacity of approximately 47.7 cubic feet per second at Tooh 

Computer-generated rendition of Tooh Haltsooi Pumping 

Plant looking towards the northwest

Construction of the Cutter Lateral Water Treatment Plant and Reach 22b: Testing and monitoring activities are underway at the Cutter Lateral 

Water Treatment Plant as part of the preparations being made to begin water delivery through the Cutter Lateral. (Reclamation photos)

Latest NGWSP Construction Contract Awarded

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