SUNLAND PARK, N.M (KFOX14/CBS4) — Camino Real Regional Utility Authority, the water provider for Sunland Park and Santa Teresa, was fined on Wednesday after state regulators said it committed years of safety violations.
The fine is part of a settlement the New Mexico Environment Department said it had reached with CRRUA over drinking water violations dating back years, which will require CRRUA to pay $189,000 in penalties.
State officials cited the utility for safety violations, including high arsenic levels and what they described as a bad-faith failure to fix problems or notify customers.
While the utility has met water quality standards for the last year, state regulators said the matter is not resolved.
Regulators are still asking a court to appoint an independent manager to take over the system entirely to ensure public safety.
In addition, some residents said the settlement does not address the underlying problems and could add to financial pressure on customers, according to a New Mexico Environmental Law Center press release.
“I found news of this settlement to be disturbing. As it is, water rates are going up, and they keep fining CRRUA, which only creates chaos for the community because we end up paying these fines at the end,” said Vivian Fuller, a Santa Teresa resident, via the press release.
The settlement comes after the Sunland Park City Council previously approved a new water and wastewater rate for the CRRUA of about $18 more.
The plan was approved by Doña Ana County and the CRRUA board after a study found rates weren’t keeping up with the utility system’s needs.
CRRUA leaders said rapid growth, aging infrastructure, and higher regulatory costs make the increase necessary to maintain reliable service for Sunland Park and Santa Teresa.
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