Vivian Fuller, a resident of Sunland Park, told Doña Ana County Commissioners in April that concerns about the safety of drinking water are not new in Sunland Park. (Danielle Prokop / Source NM)
The New Mexico Office of the State Auditor released the findings of an investigation into a troubled southern New Mexico utility Tuesday, concluding that there was no evidence of misuse of $5.3 million in public funds.
The New Mexico Environment Department called for multiple state agencies to take a closer look at the Camino Real Regional Utility Authority in March, alleging potential “fraud, waste and abuse” of $5.3 million awarded by the Water Trust Board in 2013.
New Mexico environmental officials requested the investigation after a series of drinking water disasters in late 2023 revealed that the utility had been sending water with “high levels of arsenic” to people living in Sunland Park and Santa Teresa for more than a year, without alerting the public.
The most recent tests show that CRRUA’s drinking water arsenic levels remain within federal limits, but community trust has eroded .