Santa Teresa residents: water treatment plant a “broken promise”
Santa Teresa residents tell ABC-7 plans for an arsenic treatment plant are nothing but broken promises as they continue to receive letters warning them about the arsenic levels in their drinking water.
For years, many residents have refused to drink the water coming out of their faucets. They were promised a treatment plant would be up and running by now, but officials with the Camino Real Regional utility authority say they’ll have to wait even longer.
“I figured, that soon, they would probably correct it, but I don’t think they’ve even tried,” said Ronald Tiller, a Santa Teresa resident.
Residents Tiller are used to receiving letters warning them of potential skin problems, even cancer, if they consume too much water with high arsenic levels
“We even cook using bottled water,” Tiller said.
The fire department in nearby Sunland Park told ABC-7 low water pressure has affected how it responds to call.
“We have encountered water pressure drops in the industrial complex of Santa Teresa, ” Joe Mayorga, the Sunland Park Firefighters Union President, said. “Water pressure drops have triggered fire alarms to go off.”
Brent Westmoreland, CRRUA Executive Director, blames the delay on an easement issue that has since been resolved. We were at the treatment plant as crews were putting the finishing touches on it. Westmoreland promises the plant will be fully operation in January 2017.
“The broken promises did result as circumstances beyond our control and our contractors control and I apologize for that we’ve done our best to remedy that and we have now,” Westmoreland said.
“Protect the people,” Tiller said, “We pay our bills. We expect to have good water.”
Westmoreland said the water treatment plant includes a new water well with a $2 million gallon tank. That is expected to improve the low water pressure, he said.
