Camino Real Regional Utility Authority promises communication, transparency following water quality incidents

SANTA TERESA, New Mexico (KVIA) -- The Camino Real Regional Utility Authority, better known as CRRUA, promised better communication and transparency to their consumers in a Tuesday board meeting.

“We have to be on board, as not only a board but as an organization, to make sure that we can give this communication clearly, properly, and efficiently to our consumers," said board member Raul Telles.

This comes after residents in several neighborhoods in Santa Teresa noticed their water had become discolored over the past couple of days.

CRRUA did release the cause in a notice Tuesday, stating high water demand kicked up iron and manganese resting on the bottom of the pipes, causing the water color to change.

However, residents who spoke during public comment at Tuesday's board meeting were frustrated that the notice wasn't released sooner, as some found out about it on social media platforms before receiving an official notice from the utility company.

“CRRUA needs to be more transparent, and that we really do need to make an effort to build up that trust because the trust has been lost," resident Joseph Muñoz told ABC-7 Tuesday.

He says he had never been to a CRRUA board meeting before, but tells us the recent events were a breaking point.

Interim CRRUA director Juan Crosby says they hear the public's frustration, and are looking to hire a communication specialist, either internally or externally, to help get information out to the public quicker.

“I do know that social media is very quick, and we need to be more on board getting the information out to the public," said Crosby.

In addition to communication, Crosby says CRRUA has already taken steps, including operational oversight, to correct the violations that were found in the NMED's investigation report following last month’s water treatment plant mishap.

“We have Rydell services, the owner of which is Mr. Eric Lopez, [and] he’s done a tremendous job with our arsenic treatment facilities to already get them up and running," he added.