Residents urge action on lead pipe inventory and call to cancel license‑plate cameras

Multiple residents used the public‑comment period at the Jan. 5 Las Cruces City Council meeting to press officials on water‑system transparency and surveillance policy.

Liz Rodriguez Johnson told the council she had compiled a list of six “maneuvers” she said Las Cruces Utilities used to minimize the number of lead or galvanized service lines that would need replacement under the EPA Lead and Copper Rule. Johnson alleged that the utility assigned non‑lead classifications to lines installed before the 1986 lead ban, invented non‑lead classifications without documentation, mischaracterized connector materials and left large portions of the city off the inventoried map. "Every 1 of these actions by Las Cruces Utilities removes for all practical purposes the effective properties from the list of properties that need piping replaced," she said, urging council to investigate and hold the utility accountable. No city staff dispute or detailed refutation was offered during her comment segment in the transcript.

Lynn Moorerer, also speaking during public comment, offered a numbered list of practical fixes she recommended for the city to comply with the Lead and Copper Rule. Her suggestions included restoring accurate installation dates to the online inventory, notifying property owners with galvanized or unknown service lines, expanding inspection techniques (vacuum excavation, potholing, camera inspection), and sampling taps for anyone who requests it.

Separately, Derek Pacheco described the vendor Flock Safety’s cameras as an automated license‑plate recognition system that photographs every vehicle, records time and location and stores a searchable database of vehicle movements. He asked the council to bring forward a resolution to cancel the city’s Flock contract, remove cameras and delete locally stored data that is not tied to a lawful investigation. Pacheco cited other U.S. cities that have canceled or declined to renew Flock contracts over privacy, cost and unclear public‑safety benefits, and he referenced reporting that exposed live video feeds in some jurisdictions.

Council did not take immediate action on either request during the meeting but staff and councilors acknowledged the concerns during later agenda items and asked appropriate departments to follow up. City Manager's announcements later noted that the city is negotiating a safety‑related RFP and continues to work with vendors on procurement; no immediate policy change regarding the Flock contract was announced in the transcript.

What residents asked for: public records review of utility inventories, expanded inspection and sampling protocols, written justifications for questionable service‑line classifications, outreach to property owners in affected neighborhoods, and council consideration of a resolution to revisit the Flock Safety contract and data retention policy.

Representative quotes:

"All 6 maneuvers violate the lead and copper rule," Liz Rodriguez Johnson told the council, urging them to investigate the utility's inventory methods.

"Flock is not a normal camera... It is a license plate surveillance system that automatically photographs every vehicle that passes," Derek Pacheco said, asking the council to seek contract cancellation and data deletion.