SANTA FE, N.M. (AP) — The New Mexico Environment Department has fined El
Paso Water $1.2 million for allegedly discharging more than 1 billion
gallons of raw sewage into the Rio Grande in Sunland Park. The state
compliance orders issued Thursday also require El Paso Water to fix the
problems that caused the illegal diversion and clean up the impacted
areas. Authorities say El Paso Water illegally discharged up to 10
million gallons of raw wastewater daily into the river just upstream of
the Courchesne Bridge since last August. They say sewage traveled
downstream along the New Mexico-Texas border for nearly 2 miles and the
illegal discharge didn’t stop until January.