Water Controversy Boils In Socorro

Some residents in Socorro are accused of stealing water after an overflow at an irrigation canal.

Sunday morning, Socorro police handed out the citations after the Lower Valley Water District said the residents do not have rights to the irrigation water. Some of the residents it’s a case of poor monitoring at the canals.

“They claim that we’re irrigating, but yet the water comes over from our neighbors,” resident Martin Lujan said.

The residents said they do not know who is in charge of water control.

ABC-7 tried contacting the Lower Valley Water District on Sunday, but did not get a response.

The spokesman for the city of Socorro, Dave Garcia, said the residents were cited for water theft after an investigation that started about a month ago.

City officials and residents said they just want to see some consistent control over the canal.