Doña Ana County breaks with troubled water utility

LAS CRUCES — In a new blow to the southern New Mexico water utility, Doña Ana County commissioners voted Tuesday to dissolve the county’s compact with the city of Sunland Park governing the Camino Real Regional Utility Authority.

The vote triggers a four-year termination period, during which time negotiations will take place concerning county assets and debts.

“We are committed to being transparent in this process and keeping utility customers informed. We will also explore ways in which we can provide short-term assistance to residents,” County Manager Scott Andrews stated in a news release following the meeting. “We will share more details as soon as we can and move forward in community, working with our state stakeholders, including the Governor’s office, the New Mexico Border Authority and others, as needed.”

CRRUA, which operates water and wastewater systems for nearly 20,000 people in Sunland Park, Santa Teresa and unincorporated areas of the county, was founded through a 2009 joint powers agreement between the county and Sunland Park.

The joint powers agreement was revised just last year to enact changes to its governing board structure and termination provisions. CRRUA’s board is chaired by Sunland Park Mayor Javier Perea, with city manager Mario Juarez-Infante as vice chair. The board includes three county residents, Sunland Park’s public works director and county commissioner Gloria Gameros.

The utility has come under heavy scrutiny since December 2023, when it issued a five-day “do not drink” order due to high pH levels in water delivered to approximately 1,000 households. This was followed by the revelation that three of CRRUA’s arsenic treatment plants had been offline for more than a year, resulting in ratepayers buying and consuming water with high levels of arsenic without their knowledge.

State and federal agencies have repeatedly cited the utility for failures to meet deadlines addressing deficiencies identified in annual inspections. A group of Sunland Park residents filed a lawsuit against the utility, Doña Ana County and the city that remains pending. In March, CRRUA was cited again, this time for deficient lead and copper monitoring.

Earlier this month, CRRUA announced it had corrected 55 out of 58 issues reported in the state Environment Department’s 2023 Sanitary Survey Inspection.

On Tuesday, the commissioners voted unanimously to dissolve the county’s relationship with CRRUA “for the mutual benefit of all parties,” with no further public discussion or comment. The county immediately informed Sunland Park of the decision, which will be followed by a written notice.

Following the meeting, Perea called the termination “a step in the right direction” and said he looked forward to an equitable negotiation of the assets and properties shared by the entities.

“CRRUA is facing a lot of issues from things that occurred in the past, and we are working to get those issues addressed,” Perea told the Journal. “The brunt of the issues are affecting Sunland Park the most, and taking this decision puts the city at the forefront of taking back its utility.”

Juarez-Infante said the city hoped to schedule an initial meeting about the transition as soon as possible, calling the vote “an opportunity to enhance the services being provided to the citizens of Sunland Park.”

The vote was also welcomed by Empowerment Congress of Doña Ana County, a community organization that has worked with community members to voice concerns about CRRUA’s performance and its communications with the public.

“The dismantling of the current JPA presents a critical opportunity to establish a new water governance structure—one that is transparent, community-driven, and committed to delivering clean, safe, and affordable drinking water,” the organization said in a written statement.