STA FE, New Mexico – The water utility in Sunland Park has agreed to pay a $189,000 fine in a settlement with the New Mexico Environment Department (NMED) over a string of water system violations. It will also face tougher oversight going forward.
State regulators had issued five Notices of Violation to Camino Real Regional Utility Authority (CRRUA) between 2020 and 2024. These violations include exceeding federal limits for arsenic under the Safe Drinking Water Act, failure to notify customers of unsafe pH levels, and the utility’s inability to correct deficiencies flagged in repeated sanitary surveys.
Water utility lacks accountability
NMED slapped the water utility with fine for “bad faith” enhancement, which the state regulator said reflects CRRUA’s repeated lack of accountability throughout the enforcement process.
The fine will go into NMED-administered Water Conservation Fund (WCF), which supports water quality testing and operator training for public water systems statewide.
The Environment Department, said Bruce Baizel, director for Compliance and Enforcement Division, has worked to “hold CRRUA accountable for repeatedly failing its duty to deliver safe and reliable drinking water to the residents of Sunland Park.”
CRRUA has met water quality standards over the past 12 months. But it continues to face unresolved administrative and reporting violations that raised concerns about the long-term reliability of the system.
Corrective measures
“The settlement announced today is a significant first step.”
Baizel said NMED is pressing the court to appoint an independent manager to oversee CRRUA’s operations.
NMED also seeks additional corrective measures such as real-time arsenic monitoring, free distribution of arsenic test strips to customers, provision of alternative drinking water if arsenic levels exceed state limits, and the holding of monthly public meetings.
The water utility has been under heightened state scrutiny for years due to its failure to comply with regulations, particularly involving arsenic contamination.
CRRUA is the government-run water utility serving Sunland Park, a city at the border of Doña Ana County.