Friday, June 20, 2025
Clear, 76°Wind: mph,
Welcome to our new web site!
To give our readers a chance to experience all that our new website has to offer, we have made all content freely avaiable, through October 1, 2018.
During this time, print and digital subscribers will not need to log in to view our stories or e-editions.
The New Mexico Environment Department has filed a lawsuit against the Camino Real Regional Utility Authority alleging that CRRUA has failed to properly treat drinking water and properly notify customers about high arsenic levels.
In a statement, Environment Department Secretary James Kenny said that NMED “has invested significant technical resources to assist CRRUA,” and that “its failures continue to threaten public health.”
The lawsuit alleges multiple cases of water from CRRUA having elevated arsenic levels dating back to 2009 including one instance in late 2023 where the state says CRRUA intentionally took an arsenic treatment plant offline and did not notify residents. The most recent violation listed in the lawsuit came on May 6, 2025, when CRRUA allegedly did not notify the public when a test showed the water had elevated levels of arsenic.
CRRUA Executive Director Juan Carlos Crosby did not respond when asked for a comment.
NMED hopes to see the court order CRRUA to conduct monthly meetings, have real-time arsenic testing, give free arsenic tests to customers, provide a different water source if arsenic levels are high and pay civil penalties.
NMED says that it hopes this sends a message to other water providers — naming the City of Las Vegas and Cassandra Water System in Moriarity directly — and said that, “the State will not hesitate to have them replaced” if they cannot provide safe drinking water.
During a May 13 Doña Ana County Commission meeting, the county voted to terminate the agreement that formed CRRUA. The county is now working on bringing in an engineering firm to assess the CRRUA infrastructure and communicating with Sunland Park on next steps.
At a May 28 press conference held by The City of Sunland Park, Mayor Javier Perea said that he welcomes the termination and sees it as an opportunity to revaluate the system. Perea also said that during the next city council meeting, there will be a resolution that will request support from the council to form, “our own water and wastewater department” in case the county decides to separate the CRRUA assets.
The next Sunland Park City Council meeting will be held on June 4.
Doña Ana County has set up a dedicated phone line and online form to hear questions and complaints regarding CRRUA.
The county said that this is a partnership with the City of Sunland Park and assistance is available in both English and Spanish. The number for the phone line is 575-525-5589.
