Thank you to the Gold, Silver and Bronze sponsors of the NMRWA 14th Annual Southern Fall Conference! We appreciate your support!
14th Annual Southern Fall Conference
NMRWA’s water and wastewater conferences are the industry training events in the state and bring together board members, managers, operators, regulators, industry representatives, funding agency staff, lawmakers and community leaders.
The 14th Annual NMRWA Annual Southern Fall Conference will be held at the Las Cruces Convention Center, 680 E University Avenue, Las Cruces, on October 1-3, 2024.
REGISTRATION IS NOW OPEN for EXHIBITORS and ATTENDEES!
EXHIBITORS – Please see this link: INVITATION TO EXHIBIT
Map showing exhibit booths at this link: Exhibit Hall Interactive Map FINAL – Exhibit Booths Sold Out
Conference Schedule at this link: Conference Schedule UPDATED 9/29/2024
EXHIBITORS and ATTENDEES – Please complete the registration form located at this link: 2024 FALL CONFERENCE REGISTRATION. Click on “Select Registration Type” and complete the registration form.
LODGING AVAILABLE at this link: Courtyard by Marriott at NMSU, 456 E University Avenue, Las Cruces. Hotel reservations must be made by September 15, 2024, in order to receive the $159 conference rate. Or call the hotel at (575) 526-1722 and ask for Reservations. Make a reservation under group block “NM RURAL WATER ASSOCIATION.”
We are excited to continue the tradition of hosting this conference and look forward to seeing you there!
Questions about registration? Contact Ruth Cox at ruth@nullnmrwa.org.
46th Annual Conference Thank You
Thank you to our NMRWA 46th Annual Conference Sponsors!
Water Conservation Fund Annual List of Contaminants for Calendar Year 2022
Drinking Water Bureau
IMPORTANT NOTIFICATION
Dear Water System Official:
Pursuant to the Environmental Improvement Act Section 74-1-13(G), annually NMED compiles a list of contaminants required to be tested by public water systems over the next twelve months for which the sampling costs will be covered by the Water Conservation Fund. When developing this list of contaminants, NMED shall also consider the availability of funds in the Water Conservation Fund, the needs of public water supplies being tested for additional contaminants and public health and safety.
Over the past year, NMED has continued to work towards long term solvency of this important fund. Although the WCF expenses continue to outpace its revenues, NMED secured a $600,000 Legislative appropriation to help with WCF program expenses. With this appropriation, NMED is pleased to announce that the WCF will pay for the laboratory costs of all Safe Drinking Water Act regulated contaminants during Calendar Year 2022.
NMED will continue to work toward long term solvency of the WCF and also continue to provide annual notification to public water systems about the services that can be covered by the Fund’s revenues from year to year.
This announcement serves as NMED’s notification to your public water system of the contaminant analysis that will be paid for by the Water Conservation Fund (WCF) during calendar year 2021. (January 1-December 31, 2022)
A full copy of the WCF notification letter and contaminant list can be found here: https://service.web.env.nm.gov/urls/MVSEdOnS
If you have any questions or concerns about this notification, please contact Bethany Anderson, Water Conservation Fund Manager, by email at Bethany.Anderson@nullstate.nm.us.
Drinking Water Bureau:
Main Phone: 505-476-8620 / 877 -654-8720
Main Email: drinking.water@nullstate.nm.us
https://www.env.nm.gov/drinking_water/
Non-Employee Discrimination Complaints
NMED does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, disability, age or sex in the administration of its programs or activities. To learn more, go to the NMED Equity page.
Justicia ambiental/Quejas por discriminación contra quienes no son empleados
El Departamento del Medio Ambiente de Nuevo México (NMED, por su sigla en inglés) no discrimina por motivos de raza, color, origen nacional, discapacidad, edad o sexo en la administración de sus programas o actividades. Para obtener más información o para presentar una queja, visite: NMED Equity page.
NMED: DWB Water/Waste Water/Sampler Certification Program
Water/Waste Water/ Sampler Certification Program
New Mexico Environmental Department: Drinking Water Bureau Utility Operator Certificate Program:
Utility Operator Certification Program
Computer-Based Testing Step by Step:
Examination & Renewal Requirements for Certification:
Examination & Renewal Requirements
Computer-Based Exam Application:
2020 High School Essay Contest sponsored by Core and Main
Aqua es Vida!
Essay Contest
The New Mexico Rural Water Association’s High School Essay Contest of 2019 received a number of great entries and would like to thank all participates and congratulate our winners! We would also like to thank Terry Baker with Core and Main, a leading distributor of water, sewer, storm drain and fire protection products in the United States for sponsoring a great contest. Below are our winners and attached are the winning essays.
1st place – Celia Chavez
2nd place – Regan Wiebe
3rd place – Breyelle Garcia
Agua de Nuevo Mexico
To read the newsletter, click on the cover.
Volume 37 Issue 1
Volume 36 Issue 1
Volume 35 Issue 2
Volume 35 Issue 2
Ground Water Level Monitoring Collaborative
Check out the latest news regarding the Ground Water Level Monitoring Collaborative:
Collaborative Ground Water Monitoring Network
“The Aquifer Mapping Program at New Mexico Bureau of Geology and Mineral Resources (NMBGMR), with funding from Healy Foundation, is developing a statewide Collaborative Groundwater Monitoring Network for New Mexico. This voluntary Network will gather new and existing data on groundwater levels to help us understand how our state’s groundwater resources are changing through time, promote increased awareness of water issues around New Mexico, and provide an important foundation for making informed water-management decisions.”
For more information contact:
Martha Graham, NMRWA
Source Water Protection Program
505-259-8665
Stacy Timmons, NMBGMR
Aquifer Mapping Program Manager
575-835-6951
Sara Chudnoff, NMBGMR
Hydrogeologist
575-835-5038
41st Annual Conference Recap
This year New Mexico Rural Water Association hosted their 41st Annual Conference at Hotel Albuquerque at Old Town. The conference took place on April 6-8, 2019. The conference offered a variety of speakers and courses ranging from Water and Wastewater Operations to hot topics like Cyber-Security Guidance and Wildfire Impact on Drinking Water. The event also featured over 70 exhibitors covering a myriad of services and new products in the water industry.
On Monday night of the conference the Exhibitor Meet and Greet took place, giving vendors and attendees the opportunity to meet and demonstrate products in a fun setting with musical entertainment provided by Luz de Luna. The tradition of the door prize raffle was also continued this year with participation from over 15 vendors raffling off items such as TVs, gift cards, water purifying devices, and sports jerseys.
As a member-based non-profit, NMRWA relies on the participation of its members during our annual meeting to assist in electing representatives from your region to the Board of Directors and Executive Committee. We ask that all systems send a delegate to represent your system and your voice. Your vote helps all water systems in New Mexico and your continuous support of all rural water systems!
The Board of Directors and Executive Committee members elected are:
Board of Directors
Don Archuleta, Blanco MDWCA
Silviano Atencio, Tierra Amarilla MDWCA
Richard Chavez, Puerto de Luna
Larry Cowan, San Antonino MDWCA
Patricio Garcia, Agua Sana WUA
Jubal Hall, Village of Cloudcroft
Jennifer Horton, Dona Ana MDWCA
John L. Jones, Forest Park Property Owners Coop
David Kenneke, Philmont Scout Ranch
Aaron Lee, Lee Acres Water Users Association
W. Keith Lee, Lower Valley WUA
Debbie Leschner, Quemado Lake Water Association
Orlando Lopez, Manzano MDWCA
Sherman Martin, Village of Hope
Cheri Moore, La Luz MDWCA & MSWA
Tom Phillips, Leasburg MDWCA
Leona Powell, Village of Grady
Richard Rumpf, Village of Magdalena
Rudy Sales, Village of Hope
Gavin Strathdee, Madrid Water Coop
Jose Terrones, Anthony W&SD
Daniel Tso, Flora Vista MDWCA
Eulalio Vallejos, Aragon MDWCA
Mike Vigil, Miami Mutual Domestic Water Users Association
Executive Committee
Jose Terrones, President
Jennifer Horton, Vice President
John Jones, National Director/Legislative Chair
Leona Powell, Director
Aaron Lee, Director
Gavin Strathdee, Director
Dave Kenneke, Past President
Jim Dunlap, Director Emeritus
The conference also hosted the NMRWA & Bohannan Huston, Inc. Water Taste Test. Systems from all over New Mexico had the chance to compete for the title of Best Tasting Water in New Mexico. The winning system this year was the Town of Estancia who will represent New Mexico’s rural water systems in Washington, DC at the annual Rural Water Rally in 2020.Winners receive airfare and hotel accommodations courtesy of Bohannan-Huston, Inc., to travel to Washington DC and participate in the National Rural Water Association’s Great American Water Taste Test. Winners will also be able to meet with New Mexico’s Congressional Delegation and have the opportunity to tour our nations beautiful capital!
New Mexico Rural Water Association recognizes the outstanding services and commitment of the men and women involved in operating, managing, directing, and supporting New Mexico’s water and wastewater utilities through our Annual Awards Ceremony. Each year NMRWA solicits nominations from its membership for anyone who has gone above and beyond the call of duty this year so that their service may be recognized. The award recipients recognized during the awards ceremony during NMRWA’s 41st annual conference are:
Small System of the Year – Trampas MDWCA
Medium System of the Year – Upper La Plata Water
Large System of the Year – Raton Water Works
Tribal System of the Year – Zia Community Water System
Wastewater System of the Year – Santa Ana MBR Wastewater Facility
Small Water System Operator – Gavin Strathdee, Lamy MDWA
Medium Water Operator of the Year – Nicolas Cardenas, Philmont Scout Ranch
Large System Co-Water Operators of the Year – Dwight James, System Manager, and Larry Kennedy, Field Operator, Upper La Plata Water
Wastewater Operator of the Year – Steve Sanchez, Utility Operator, Santa Ana Pueblo
Small Tribal Operator of the Year –Dennis Wing, Santa Ana Pueblo
Medium Tribal Operator of the Year – Leland Gachupin, Utilities Operator Level 2, Zia Community Water System
Office Manager of the Year – Carol Garcia, La Luz MDWCA & MSWA
Director (Board Member) of the Year – Cheri Moore, President, La Luz MDWCA & MSWA
Instructor of the Year – Heather Jennings, Senior Project Engineer, Bio Huma Netics, Inc./Probiotics Solutions
John Paden Award for Outstanding Service – Dr. Russell Isaac, P.E., NMED Ground Water Quality Program
Associate Member of the Year – Preston Patterson, Integration & Controls Solutions
Excellence in Environmental Achievement of the Year – The City of Raton/Raton Water Works
Legislator of the Year – Susan Herrera
We appreciate all vendors, attendees, volunteers, and staff for making our 41st Annual Conference a success! We look forward to seeing you all again next year for our 42nd Annual Conference in 2020. Be sure to keep an eye out for more information on our website, www.nmrwa.org.
