Day 5: Santa Teresa Industrial Park still affected by water advisory - KFOX El Paso

Day 5: Santa Teresa Industrial Park still affected by unsafe water | KFOX

SANTA TERESA, New Mexico (KFOX14/CBS4) — It's day five in the Camino Real Regional Utility Authority's (CRRUA) water fiasco and people in the Santa Teresa Industrial Park area are still being warned to avoid using their water.

According to CRRUA water samples in the area are testing at a pH level of 8.9 to 9.0.

The level must be at 8.5 pH before CRRUA can clear the advisory.

In an interview with KFOX14/CBS4 Monday, CRRUA Executive Director Brent Westmoreland chalked the issue up to a computer malfunction at the water plant, and claimed the problem wasn't a contamination.

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"Contamination is a bit of a misnomer. What is wrong with the water, is the pH level is elevated."

Westmoreland says their treatment plant malfunctioned, injecting too much sulfuric acid into the wells.

"In this case, our treatment plant did not, the sulfuric acid pump injector did not shut off when the wells shut off, so it continued to inject sulfuric acid into the system which boosts the pH levels," Westmoreland said.

On Friday, CRRUA said the slimy water feeling is due to the sulfuric acid that is used in the water pump systems.

CRRUA officials said the issue was because of the high pH caused by the sulfuric acid.

For questions or more information, call CRRUA at 915-238-8742 or 575-649-9349.

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