Two new water cooperatives have been formed and have plans to serve the N.M. 41 area around McIntosh, as well as areas in the East Mountains along N.M. 337 and N.M. 217, according to organizer Gerald Ohlsen.

A 41-mile transmission system will serve the two new co-ops, McIntosh Water Cooperative and Manzano Foothills Water Cooperative Association, Inc., Ohlsen said.

The anticipated route for the transmission line is south on N.M. 41 from Pumpkin Patch Road to Marshall Road, west on Marshall Road to N.M. 337, and north on N.M. 337 to Yrissari, where the line will branch to serve the N.M. 217 area.

For the past three years, Ohlsen and partner Robert Morper have been actively acquiring water rights, and have gotten the State Engineer's approval for conversion of water for domestic use and the applications in to complete the project, Ohlsen said.

Ohlsen said 2,500 acre-feet of water has been acquired, and two-thirds of that has been approved for domestic consumption, with the rest in the process.

An expected 10,000 homes will be served after the entire project is complete, Ohlsen said.

The co-ops have both formed boards and submitted bylaws and other completion documents to the state Public Regulation Commission on Wednesday, Ohlsen said.

Ohlsen said his team has contacted several hundred people and is currently distributing flyers to create interest in the proposed service areas.

The co-ops also are working with at least two banks to obtain financing for individual members. The proposed membership fee is $10,000 per hookup, of which $3,000 will be allocated to the construction of lines that connect the resident or group of residents to the proposed 12-inch transmission line.

Ohlsen said he hopes the system will be operational in a year.

Engineering firm Miller and Associates have been hired, Ohlsen said.

The new system is needed to serve many in the areas that have dry wells or no wells at all, according to a statement released last week.

"This program will permanently solve their water problem, and will enable a substantial cost saving to be realized," the release states.

Once the financing is solidified, Ohlsen said, he expects two to three months of engineering, and six months of construction time before the system is operational.