Santa Teresa and Sunland Park community says NMED, CRRUA settlement agreement is not enough

LAS CRUCES, New Mexico (KVIA)- On Wednesday the New Mexico Environmental Department (NMED) announced it had reached a settlement agreement with Camino Real Regional Utility Authority (CRRUA) to pay a fine of $189,000 for drinking water violations from previous years. 

Issues of arsenic above federal standards and discolored, smelly water coming out of residents taps and water bills increased have caused issues in the community in recent years.

Vivian Fuller, a resident of Santa Teresa, said, “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.”

Daisy Maldonado, a Southern NM organizer, said, “In our fight for clean and safe drinking water for Sunland Park and Santa Teresa residents, NMED’s current ‘settlement’ does little to actually ensure that New Mexicans who are served by CRRUA will receive water they know is safe for them and their families to consume. Since NMED has left the option for receivership on the table, it is difficult to believe—as an agency tasked to protect its residents—that the outcome they are pursuing is in the best interest of everyday New Mexicans.”