CHAMA, N.M. – The northern New Mexico village of Chama has been placed on a water boiling order.
The Albuquerque Journal reports the order came after investigators found the Chama plant’s two huge filtering tanks weren’t functioning correctly, producing only 36% of the water required.
The primary malfunction came from the layers of sand and coal that filter all incoming water.
Investigators say documents detailing daily operations and a schedule of required maintenance were missing. Essential testing supplies were either buried in storage closets or nowhere to be found.
New Mexico Army National Guard Spc. Henry Benally and others with the 1115 Transportation Company, from Farmington, hauled 6,000 gallons of water from Tierra Amarilla to the water treatment plant in Chama on Monday. Chama’s water plant also is operating at a limited capacity.
In the middle of the COVID-19 pandemic, the lack of consumable water has had a sizable impact on residents.
On two occasions, some residents turned on their faucets to no avail – the plant had run out of water to supply the village.
