Doña Ana County votes to begin severing joint powers agreement with Camino Real regional utility authority

Doña Ana County commissioners on May 13 voted unanimously to begin the process of terminating the joint powers agreement that created the utility arrangement with the Camino Real regional utility authority, a step county leaders said is intended to address long‑standing water service problems affecting Sunland Park and parts of southern Doña Ana County.

County Manager Scott Andrews said the decision "was not a decision that we took lightly. It's rooted in care. It's rooted in the belief that our residents deserve transparency, reliability and a better path forward." He told residents that CRUAA will continue to manage water and wastewater services "for the time being" and that the county does not anticipate immediate disruptions during the legal and procedural transition.

The county has already engaged HDR Engineering to perform a comprehensive engineering evaluation of CRUAA assets, Andrews and commissioners said. The study will assess pipes, wells, treatment plants, tanks and hydrants and will inform an updated asset management plan that county leaders said should guide long‑term maintenance and replacements. "HDR Engineering is the firm we're…