Doña Ana County directs master plan for San Miguel lift station after church’s septic fails

Doña Ana County commissioners on June 17 directed staff to develop a wastewater master plan for the San Miguel area after residents and local officials said an aging septic system at a community church has failed and the neighborhood faces multiple failing septic systems.

The move comes after county staff described a recent state law, SB 357 (the Essential Services Development Act), that would let local governments use public dollars to support infrastructure projects that connect residences and community facilities to water and wastewater systems. Assistant County Manager Jonathan Macias summarized that change in state law as “SB 357, known as the Essential Services Development Act.”

Commissioners heard that the church serving as a community hub has stopped using its septic system and is relying on porta‑potties, and that many nearby homes are older, multigenerational properties on failing septic tanks or cesspools. Commissioner Reynolds said the congregation and neighbors had organized grassroots advocacy and urged the county to move quickly; Commissioner Sanchez and others urged a broader, countywide strategy to avoid creating an unsustainable, single‑site precedent.

County staff told the commission a preliminary cost estimate already prepared for a single small lift station and one connection was about $200,000. Staff said that figure covered a small lift station sized only to serve the church; expanding the design to capture gravity flow and allow multiple residential or business tie‑ins would change the order of magnitude and would require engineering studies. Assistant County Manager Stephen Lopez said the county would need design parameters before it could get a reliable cost estimate.

The commission discussed funding options including the county’s ICIP (Infrastructure Capital Improvement Plan), state and federal grants and the new state mechanism under SB 357 to create a grant pot for tie‑in costs. County staff warned that using the ICIP alone would likely delay construction by at least a year and a half. Commissioners and staff also discussed the anti‑donation limits that previously constrained using county funds to pay for private connections and how the new state law could change the county’s options.

On timing, staff told commissioners that if the county decided immediately to build a small lift station sized for the church only, construction could be completed in about six months; several commissioners said that timeline might not meet the church’s immediate needs. Commissioners discussed short‑term options, including offering use of a nearby La Mesa community center for services while a longer‑term solution is planned.

What the board directed: commissioners agreed to proceed with a San Miguel wastewater master plan and to pursue immediate interim relief options. Staff were asked to:

- Commission an engineering study and cost estimate sized both for a single connection and for a larger lift station that could serve multiple properties; - Pursue grant and other outside funding options (federal, state, Colonial Infrastructure Fund/Colonial funding where allowed) and follow up with state legislators about available tie‑in funds under SB 357; and - Offer short‑term, nonconstruction accommodations (for example, community center space) while design and funding are pursued.

There was no formal roll‑call vote recorded in the work session on these directions; the record shows board consensus to proceed with planning and outreach. Commissioners emphasized two constraints: (1) any construction that connects to private structures and replaces on‑site septic had to be treated so the county did not assume full financial responsibility for every future tie‑in; and (2) a county‑owned and -operated wastewater system already exists in the area, which presenters said makes San Miguel a practical test case for expanding county utility services.

County staff also noted a commonly cited home septic replacement cost range in the discussion — commissioners and speakers said residents have reported replacement costs of about $15,000 to $20,000 for a new septic system — and that a successful program would need to pair system construction with funding or grant support for household tie‑ins. Staff pledged to return with a more detailed plan and schedule for the board’s consideration.

The discussion concluded with staff agreeing to begin the master plan procurement and to coordinate community outreach and funding research; commissioners asked staff to return with a formal plan or resolution to approve once the engineering scope and funding approach are clearer.