The Camino Real Regional Utility Authority is facing new challenges after a potential lawsuit has been announced against them. Attorney Jessica Insurriaga announced the lawsuit during public comment at the meeting on Monday, February 12th.
“Not only did your agency fail in its fundamental duty to provide safe drinking water and protect the public health of your residents, but you left all of those families, children, elderly and the sick unknowingly consuming dangerous water for days without notifying them,” Insurriaga said.
The allegations against CRRUA are after a long history of water issues including high arsenic levels in Sunland Park and Santa Teresa. Most recently in December of 2023, the New Mexico Environment Department issued a do not drink warning and stated that the water had elevated pH levels. CRRUA public information officer Udell Vigil says that they have solved all of the issues highlighted by the state and the arsenic levels have since returned to being safe.
“It’s ongoing maintenance its on going training of the proper operation of the arsenic training facilities and we are progressing," Vigil said. "We are moving forward. We are having success because we brought those arsenic levels down so as of right now we are compliant with all of NMED requirements having to do with the 24 deficiencies they identified that had to be corrected by the end of last month.”
Raul Telles served as a board member on CRRUA during the meeting. During the meeting, he said that fixing the issues will take a village but residents should be wary of who he says are outsiders.
“One thing that I do caution my community as a homeowners association president as well is be cautious with the solicitations," he said. "Ever since December came around we have had solicitations from water treatment companies trying to sell their product. We have had solicitations in the form of law firms trying to solicit their services and rightfully so. The community deserves answers.”
The attorneys say that they are representing a group numbering more than five in the lawsuit. CRRUA has also announced that they are changing the structure of the board to have more experts serve in those positions. At the meeting, CRRUA chairwoman Susana Chaparro said that the board will not be taking any questions from the media due to the announcement of a lawsuit.
