Resident tells Sahuarita council ADEQ testing found elevated arsenic near Bridal Pueblo washes

Rick Corrado, a Sahuarita resident, used the meeting's public-comment period to raise environmental concerns after a Dec. 2 television report he said documented white sludge appearing in washes near the Estrada/Bridal Pueblo neighborhood and the Northwest Medical Center.

Corrado said Arizona Department of Environmental Quality (ADEQ) inspectors identified the material as calcium carbonate produced by nearby mining operations and, after additional testing, found arsenic above state safety standards. He told the council he had repeatedly urged ADEQ to take enforcement action and said his community had not seen monitoring or cleanup following those test results.

"It has become clear we could no longer trust the state," Corrado said, calling on the town to consider regulations intended to mitigate contamination risks and to protect residents from potential impacts of nearby mines.

Council members listened but did not take action during the meeting. The town did not provide a staff response or new directive in the session record; meeting materials indicate the item remained in public comment only.

Background provided by Corrado in his remarks named Simbar Resources as a local operator producing materials residents associated with the deposits; he also referenced broader regional concerns about similar mining projects and asked the council to be proactive on rules that could reduce future harm to the aquifer and residents.

The council and staff did not debate or adopt specific regulatory measures in response during the public-comment window. The transcript records no formal staff report or motion tied to Corrado's request at this meeting.