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Department requests real-time monitoring of arsenic levels in drinking water and free arsenic test strips for customers.
Source: New Mexico Environment Department
Photo: Courtesy
SANTA FE — The New Mexico Environment Department today filed a lawsuit in the Third Judicial District Court in Las Cruces, asking the court to appoint an independent manager to oversee the daily operations of the Camino Real Regional Utility Authority, or CRRUA.
If granted, the order would effectively place the troubled water system into a status similar to receivership. The request comes after more than a decade of mismanagement at the utility, most recently demonstrated by repeated failed arsenic tests conducted by both CRRUA staff and NMED compliance and enforcement staff.
In addition to failing to properly treat its drinking water, CRRUA also failed to inform its customers of the dangerous levels of arsenic in their tap water — a violation that has been repeated for years.
“While the Environment Department has invested significant technical resources to assist CRRUA in fulfilling its duty to deliver safe and reliable drinking water, its failures continue to threaten public health,” said Environment Department Sec. James Kenney. “Today’s lawsuit and request to appoint an independent manager to oversee CRRUA signals a new approach in Environment Department efforts to protect the health of communities when they turn on their tap.”
NMED is seeking additional relief from the court, ordering CRRUA to:
- Implement real-time arsenic monitoring
- Distribute free arsenic test strips for all CRRUA customers
- Provide an alternative drinking water source if arsenic levels exceed state limits
- Conduct monthly public meetings
- Pay civil penalties which, per state law, fund drinking water and wastewater utility operators for communities across New Mexico
Today’s filing aligns with NMED’s broader attitude towards water systems that habitually violate state drinking water regulations. In July 2024, NMED put 138 drinking systems across the state on notice, informing their owners that they had 15 days to submit a plan to resolve them.
However, many water systems remain out of compliance — including the City of Las Vegas and Cassandra Water System in Moriarity. If utility management cannot consistently provide safe, reliable drinking water to New Mexicans, the State will not hesitate to have them replaced.
A full copy of the complaint can be found here.
