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Council approves Resolution 25-13 to allow one property outside town limits to connect to Taos sewer
Summary
Council unanimously approved a resolution allowing a health-and-safety sewer connection for a property on Upper Ranchitos Road outside town limits, with the owner to pay connection costs.
The Taos Town Council voted unanimously to approve Resolution 25-13, authorizing consideration of a utility connection outside the town limits under the Town of Taos water and sewer manual. Staff brought the request as a health-and-safety matter on behalf of property owner Johnny Ortiz, whose house at 345 Upper Ranchitos Road sits on a failing septic/cesspool system.
Rudy Abeyta of Abeyta Realty described the situation to council: the 0.48-acre lot is smaller than the state’s conventional-septic minimum (0.75 acres), the existing concrete tank is leaking and the property has been held vacant since the owner discovered the failure. Abeyta said the town trunk/stubbed service line is about 70 feet from the house and that Mr. Ortiz is prepared to pay all connection and plumbing costs, including municipal connection fees; the applicants requested council approval to allow a sewer connection from outside town limits under the manual.
Public works staff clarified the technical details: the nearest pipe is a service line (10-inch PVC) rather than a major trunk that would create backflow-risk concerns, and the town requires backflow prevention on outside connections. Staff noted the sewer-only rate schedule in the water-and-sewer manual: the base sewer-only rate inside town is $23.25 and outside town is $34.88. The council discussed broader policy issues — whether outside connections should be asked to annex, delinquency and enforcement of sewer-only accounts, and whether liens or disconnections are available enforcement mechanisms.
Manager Martinez and Deputy Manager Flores told council that staff has begun engineering work on the septic-receival station and that site visits had been completed for Mr. Ortiz’s property. Legal counsel noted the town’s authority under the 2002 water-and-sewer manual to permit connections when failing septic systems pose a contamination risk to groundwater.
A motion to approve Resolution 25-13 was made and seconded; the roll call vote was: Council Member Oswald — Yes; Council Member Ortega — Yes; Council Member Fambro (Mayor Pro Tem) — Yes; Council Member Fernandez — Yes. The motion passed. Staff and council discussed follow-up items including confirming sewer-only account records, ensuring appropriate backflow devices and documenting that the connection costs will be borne by the owner.
