New Mexico Environment Department Acts to Hold Harvest Gold Water System Accountable

Category: Non-Local News Releases Non-Local News Releases
Published: 27 September 2016 27 September 2016

Santa Fe, NM - Today, the New Mexico Environment Department issued an emergency order penalizing the Animas Valley Land and Water Company, operator of the Harvest Gold Drinking Water System of San Juan County, as a result of their lack of progress in restoring access to safe, clean, and reliable drinking water for users. The Department's emergency order calls on Harvest Gold to bring their system back into compliance with the Safe Drinking Water Act, and imposes $1,000 in penalties on the operators for every day not in compliance.

"All New Mexicans need and deserve access to safe, clean, and reliable drinking water," said Environment Department Cabinet Secretary Butch Tongate. "Harvest Gold's continued intransigence in restoring their water system's Safe Drinking Water Act compliance is unacceptable. The Department will continue to hold Harvest Gold accountable, as well as doing all we can to ensure that the more than 500 users are as informed as possible."

Today's Emergency Order imposes $1,000 per day penalties for each directive that is not accomplished promptly, by the deadlines set. The Emergency Order requires Harvest Gold to act promptly to execute tasks critical to providing safe drinking water to all 522 customers in San Juan County, including an interconnection with the City of Bloomfield's water system. Harvest Gold is also required to provide customer notification and communication in an effective and timely manner or daily penalties will also be imposed.

In addition to today's emergency order, the Environment Department continues to work to hold Harvest Gold accountable for 15 violations of the Safe Drinking Water Act from earlier this summer, for which the system's operators owe $676,000 in penalties.

New Mexico's Environment Department continues working in coordination with the New Mexico Public Regulation Commission, the County of San Juan, and the City of Bloomfield. These organizations have stepped up to help provide both a temporary and a permanent solution to the water issues facing Harvest Gold customers.

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