Santa Fe - A top priority for the New Mexico Environment Department is water system oversight, as all New Mexicans deserve access to clean, safe drinking water. In a priority action today, the Environment Department issues another Emergency Order to the Morningstar Water Supply System. This Order will ensure that the water system's pace of operations in this situation improves. With the Environment Department's issuance of today's Order, $1,000 per day penalties are imposed for each directive in the Order that is not accomplished timely.

These directives order Morningstar to execute promptly on the tasks that are critical to the resumption of water service in Panorama Heights and to the provision of safe drinking water to all of their 6,423 customers in San Juan County, NM. In addition, Morningstar is required to provide customer notification and communication in a more effective and timely manner or daily penalties will also be imposed.

Both the New Mexico Public Regulation Commission (PRC), which has oversight for the reliability of water service, and the Environment Department's Drinking Water Bureau, which has oversight for the safety and quality of water delivered, are investigating Morningstar. In addition to the active investigation of Morningstar, the Environment Department is working to help restore water to customers of Morningstar. Environment is in tight coordination with the PRC, New Mexico's Department of Homeland Security, the County of San Juan, and the City of Farmington. These organizations have stepped up to help provide both a temporary and a permanent solution to the water issues facing Crouch Mesa residents who are Morningstar customers.

Environment is also coordinating with the New Mexico Department of Health to address health concerns that have been raised by Morningstar customers. Those with health concerns are advised to contact the DOH On-Call Epidemiologist at 505.827.0006.