State Imposes Daily Fine for Animas Valley Water

Wednesday, September 28, 2016 at 2:29 PM

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.

From the NM Environment Department:

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.”

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.

More from Local News

Lauren Laws Named Interim Superintendent for Aztec Schools

For 15 years, Lauren Laws has dedicated her career to Aztec Schools, beginning as a Special Education teacher in 2008. In 2010 she transitioned to General Education, where she spent six years in the classroom working with 4th and 5th graders at Park Avenue Elementary while completing work on her Master's Degree. During her tenure at Park Avenue Elementary, she also served a Lead Teacher, Assistant Principal, and Principal. Lauren has spent the past three years serving as the Associate Superintendent of Teaching and Learning for the district.
Durango Picks Brice Current to be New Police Chief

Brice Current was a former narcotics agent with the San Juan County Sheriff's Office in Aztec, NM. He was hired as Durango's Deputy Police Chief in 2019.
Waterflow Fire Kills 1

Crews arrived to find a camp trailer on fire and one occupant still inside. Another occupant was transported to the hospital with minor injuries and has since been released. Despite a quick response from fire crews, one occupant was found dead in the trailer after the fire was extinguished. The name of the deceased is not yet released.
Farmington Schools Hires first Armed Campus Safety Monitor

The FMS Board of Education authorized school security personnel to carry firearms on school premises during their January 9, 2024, meeting. The move paved the way for the hiring of Armed Campus Safety Monitors (ACSMs), former certified law enforcement officers tasked with providing an additional layer of protection for students and staff during emergencies.
City Breaks Ground on Pinon Hills Extension

Farmington Officials gathered with representatives from the NM Department of Transportation and San Juan County to break ground on the long-anticipated Pinon Hills Boulevard Extension Project. San Juan County announced that design work on their section of the project is 90% completed.
Back to Bloomfield: Summers Selected as New Superintendent

Kevin Summers will be returning to the Bloomfield School District as Superintendent, after the retirement of Dr. Kim Mizell at the end of the current school year. Summers' hire makes an opening in the Superintendent's Office in Aztec where he has served for the past three years.