Archbishop John Wester of Santa Fe urged Catholics to conserve and protect water in a pastoral letter titled “Uniting for Our Sacred Waters,” released this month amid drought and low reservoir levels in New Mexico.

The NASA Earth Observatory reported this summer that Elephant Butte Reservoir had fallen to 1.4% of capacity, its lowest level since 1971. It attributed the decline to persistent drought and early snowmelt.

Wester called for moral choices that protect people, water, land and wildlife. He lamented groundwater depletion and contamination of aquifers by local military activity and nuclear weapons laboratories. He urged authorities to hold waterway polluters accountable and protect water sources from future pollution.

The letter also addressed water’s place in Catholic faith. “We bless ourselves with water when entering and leaving our churches,” Wester wrote. He cited Pope Francis’ warnings about water scarcity in Laudato Si’.

The letter followed Pope Leo XIV’s prayer intention for the care of water. The pope described clean water as a blessing and said 25% of the world’s population lacks safe drinking water.

Wester has separately spoken against expanded plutonium pit production and urged nuclear disarmament. He is part of the Partnership for a World Without Nuclear Weapons with Church leaders from Seattle, Nagasaki and Hiroshima.