Questions remain for Sunland Park residents after water contamination scare

SUNLAND PARK, New Mexico (KVIA) -- ABC-7 pressing leaders in the Sunland Park and Santa Teresa area following some water issues. Residents were told the water supply in the area was unsafe to drink about two weeks ago. Now, even though officials say the water is back to normal, some residents still have questions.

On Thursday, the region's Water Utility Director Brent Westmoreland retired. ABC-7 was the only media outlet at the meeting where Westmoreland announced his retirement. We spoke with concerned residents attending the meeting. Some of them said they still had questions about the water, weeks after the faucets turned back on and the water utility deemed the supply safe to use.

The Camino Real Regional Utility Authority tried to discuss the future of the position at the meeting Thursday evening, but were unable to officially convene due to the fourth member of the committee having technical difficulties with the Zoom call.

ABC-7 has reached out to the Mayor of Sunland Park, and Doña Ana County Commissioner for District 2, Diana Murillo, who also is a member of the CRRUA committee.

The water issues happened nearly two weeks ago when some residents in the Sunland Park area were told to drink bottled water and avoid the tap. Officials told residents that an excess of sulfuric acid made the water supply unsafe to use. Officials announced about a week later that the problem had been fixed.