From Fracking to Freshwater

Guests Mike Hightower, director of the New Mexico Produced Water Consortium, and Jonas Armstrong, director of New Mexico’s Environmental Water Protection Division, discuss the state’s innovative produced water project, which treats contaminated groundwater from oil fracking and converts it into clean, usable water. Jonas explains his team’s role in sampling, analysis, and updating Source Water Assessments to identify and mitigate contamination risks, while Mike outlines the fracking process and highlights partnerships working to turn produced water into a community resource. They also explore current treatment technologies—such as carbon filtration—and the challenges of filter disposal, emphasizing the need for continued innovation in sustainable water management.

Podcast Recorded on June 5, 2025