EL PASO, Texas -- In the 1990s El Paso was depleting its ground water sources. Now, the El Paso Water Utilities has added dozens of years to the city's water supply.

Believe it or not, the murky, brown river water in the ponds near the Rio Grande is what half of El Paso drinks. But before it is transformed into drinkable water, it's treated at the Jonathan Roger's Water Treatment Plant. The nine-stage process is one way El Paso Water Utilities is conserving water for the future.

"In 1991 when I started, it was said by the year 2025 that we would deplete our ground water sources," said Michael Parker, the plant superintendent.

El Paso Water Utilities uses 25 percent of water from the underground aquifers the rest comes from the river. This was a record year for the production of drinkable river water at the plant according to Parker.

"Instead of having 25 years worth of water we extended that to 125 years of water. That has given now my grandkids and your grandkids and their kids water for the future," said Parker.

Now, the plant is closed for several months for maintenance purposes. But this doesn't mean that the employees here are done for the year. They have to remove several feet of dirt from the ponds and clean the tanks for better efficiency during production. While the public is in the habit of conserving, El Paso Water Utilities is doing it's part as well.

"It's a big picture and we're just a puzzle in that picture but when you put it all together that's what the El Paso Water Utilities is all about, making it work," said Parker.