A formerly controversial bill aimed at addressing a future in which New Mexico’s limited water supplies become even more strained will soon have its first (New Mexico State) Senate committee hearing following House passage last week. That passage came with no debate, following a significant overhaul in the face of considerable environmental opposition to the so-called Strategic Water Supply. In a nutshell, the bill proposes a a $40 million program for removing the salt from less drinkable aquifers and $19 million to map how much water is available beneath the ground.