Albuquerque, NM (KKOB) –A settlement was announced today by the NM Environment Department with the Camino Real Regional Utility Authority for violations committed between 2020 and 2024 with Sunland Park’s water. A penalty of $189,000 was assessed including a “bad faith” enhancement due to the utility’s repeated lack of accountability during the enforcement process. Violations include exceedance of arsenic limits, failure to notify customers of high ph levels and failure to correct deficiencies found in multiple sanitary surveys of Camino Real’s operations for residents of Sunland Park. The NM Environment Department is still pursuing a court-appointed independent manager to oversee operations at the utility. Camino Real Regional Utility Authority has met water quality standards in the past 12 months but has several outstanding administrative reporting violations.
