Dozens of small private water associations in the Placitas and Algodones areas could gain more reliable, sustainable water service under a regionalization effort Sandoval County commissioners unanimously backed Wednesday.
Commissioners adopted Resolution No. 4-22-26.11B, authorizing county staff to apply to the New Mexico Finance Authority’s Technical Assistance Program to fund a consultant-led feasibility study. The effort targets between 11 and 20 of the roughly 25-plus private water associations in the area. If NMFA approves the application, the study would carry no cost to the county, Deputy County Manager Eric Masterson told commissioners.
“There are something like 25 or more different water associations, private water associations, and all of them struggle with requesting capital outlay, looking for operators, failing infrastructure,” Masterson said. “We are just simply trying to coordinate the effort to get some water associations to consider this effort to improve their sustainability long term.”…