After state ID’d 140 deficient New Mexico water systems, 65 could still face fines for bad plans
Water drips from a faucet in Pleasanton, California. The New Mexico Environment Department is mulling next steps in its efforts to address outstanding violations at dozens of water systems across the state. (Photo by Justin Sullivan/)
New Mexico environmental officials are mulling next steps for 65 drinking water systems that submitted insufficient plans or failed to address violations under a plan to address the state's drinking water quality.
State environmental regulators told Source NM last week during an update on the plan they wanted to crack down on violations, saying that with concerns of climate change and water scarcity, drinking water safety is a priority.
The effort comes in the wake of a series of disasters at the Camino Real Regional Utility Authority in late 2023, which culminated in the findings that the utility sent water with high levels of arsenic to more than 17,000 people, without telling the public.
On July 29, the New Mexico Environment Department sent out letters to more than 140 water systems. The letters stated that operators needed to send in plans to address deficiencies in drinking water systems by mid-August or potentially face steep fines. Failing to submit a plan could mean a fine of $1,000 per day, the maximum penalty. The agency created an interactive map with all the systems with outstanding violations.
Deficiencies and systems vary widely. Water systems ranged from small domestic cooperatives run by volunteers for a handful of homes, to rural water domestics, to city systems such as Las Vegas, which serves a population of more than 14,000 people.
Some systems had administrative failures to submit inspection paperwork and issue public notices such as Doña Ana MDWCA . Other water systems had quality issues such as arsenic violations at Belen Water Systems or fluoride levels in Lordsburg .
Source NM reported on the initial 138 letters, but in total, the department sent letters to 140 systems.
Nearly 75%, or just over 100 systems, submitted responses, while 38 water systems did not respond at all, said Bruce Baizel, the state agency's director at the Compliance and Enforcement division in an interview with Source New Mexico.
Of the plans or letters submitted, Baizel said nearly a quarter lacked substantive changes.
Baizel said the 36 systems in full compliance and the 18 in partial compliance with solid plans are the simple fixes.
"Now we'll start to get into some of the harder ones, where they either need money or they need technical assistance, but I think we're made a good step forward on this," He said.
No fines have been levied yet, but there are 65 systems that are being evaluated for fines or further sanctions, such as Administrative Compliance orders, Baizel said.
"We'll continue now with targeting those big systems that may just be saying 'it's not a priority for us.' Well, frankly, it needs to be a priority, and we're going to draw your attention to it through the enforcement tools that we have," he said.
He expects to send letters certifying that 36 water systems are in full compliance within the week and the department will update the map.
In some cases, the department has already escalated action. In August, the environment department sent an Administrative Compliance Order to the City of Las Vegas with a $273,600 fine, for various recorded violations of water quality treatment chemicals. The city can appeal the order in an administrative hearing.
Travis Martinez, the interim water operation manager for Las Vegas' water system did not return voicemails or emails requesting comment this week.
Water Systems data
Source NM requested a list of all the water systems and their status from the New Mexico Environment Department. Here are the results:
