New Mexico town faces water crisis after burn scar flooding increases risk of pollution
The Gallinas River is surrounded by burn scars from wildfires and prescribed burns. Congress has allocated upwards of $140 million for the enhancement of treatment centers, but it is unclear when enough funding would reach the community for construction to begin.
Deadly New Mexico fires burn out of control despite thunderstorms
The Salt and South Fork fires in New Mexico continue to grow with firefighters unable to get any containment. On top of that severe thunderstorms dropped baseball-sized hail and triggered flash flooding in the burn scars. Fox News Reporter Kennedy Hayes takes us to the fire lines.
LAS VEGAS, N.M. - Another round of monsoonal moisture over New Mexico has triggered the town of Las Vegas to reduce its water supply due to the threat of high levels of pollution in runoff.
Officials for the town with a population of around 13,000 say runoff from burn scars such as the Hermits Peak & Calf Canyon Fire in 2022 has caused high levels of turbidity in the Gallinas River – the main source of drinking water.
Due to ailing infrastructure, the town’s water treatment facility cannot handle high levels of turbidity, meaning all non-essential events and businesses have been asked to close.
"The city has been working with local, state and federal authorities to address issues at the water treatment plant. As the Gallinas River has been compromised with debris, ash and silt," Mayor David Romero said in a recent update.
In addition to conservation, state and local officials have held daily water distribution centers, where residents have lined up to receive bottles of water to cut down on system demand.
So far, the town has not said when they expect the treatment center to be fully operational, but the latest bout with water quality issues is not the first time problems have arisen.
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During heavy rainfall events since at least 2022, the town has dealt with issues surrounding the availability and the quality of water.
In 2023, Las Vegas staff even admitted to violations of the federal Safe Drinking Water Act, by allowing water that had too high of turbidity to flow through the system.
The town said it was not made aware of any subsequent contamination, and none of their testing showed any disease-causing organisms in the drinking water.
"In drinking water, particles can interfere with disinfection by physically blocking UV rays from reaching microorganisms. Some microorganisms can make people sick if they occur in drinking water," the EPA has previously stated about high turbidity measurements.
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There appears to be no quick fix on the horizon despite funding being secured for upgrades in 2022.
A federal spending bill allowed for upwards of $140 million to be devoted towards building more resilient infrastructure, but it is unclear how much funding has reached local authorities.
"We are very resilient. Our community has been through a lot, and we will continue to work together for a better Las Vegas," Romero stated.