The New Mexico Environment Department (NMED) has reported on the progress of its Enforcement Watch initiative, which aims to provide transparency in enforcement actions related to environmental protection, public health, and worker safety. The program, launched in May 2023, shares monthly updates on enforcement actions and their resolutions.
Enforcement Watch categorizes updates into Active Matters, which are alleged violations under investigation or pending resolution, and Resolved Matters, which are cases that have been adjudicated or administratively resolved.
In May 2025, NMED highlighted its efforts to ensure compliance with the state Safe Drinking Water Act. Of the 1,054 drinking water systems serving over two million people in New Mexico, 13.9% are violating health-based standards. This affects approximately 5.5% of residents who receive water that may pose health risks.
Since July 2024, NMED has issued letters to drinking water systems with chronic violations and assessed $887,820 in civil penalties. These funds support drinking water sampling and training for utility operators. Progress is evident as the number of systems with health-based violations decreased from an average of 115-125 per quarter last year to 94 in Q3 of Fiscal Year 2025.
Bruce Baizel, NMED Compliance and Enforcement Director said: "Through our technical assistance offerings and focused enforcement efforts, we have reduced health-based violations and brought numerous systems back into compliance." He emphasized accountability for municipal governments and private entities responsible for safe tap water.
In May alone, NMED initiated 87 new enforcement actions and resolved 69 cases. Notices of violation were issued across various bureaus including Drinking Water Bureau (59 notices), Food Safety Program (18 notices), Occupational Health & Safety Bureau (5 notices), Air Quality Bureau (2 notices), Public Pools/Spas Bureau (1 notice), Hazardous Waste Bureau (1 notice), and Ground Water Quality Bureau (1 notice).
Notable cases include violations by Bosque Brewing of Las Cruces for operating without a valid food permit; Targa Northern Delaware LLC for air regulation breaches; multiple municipalities for drinking water violations; Village of Cimarron wastewater facility for groundwater quality issues; Gila Regional Medical Center for hazardous waste non-compliance; Arcosa Wind Towers Inc. for workplace hazards; and Meadowlark Apartments in Rio Rancho for operating an aquatic venue without a permit.
Enforcement Watch provides accessible information on organizations alleged to be non-compliant with regulations administered by NMED. Organizations remain listed until they correct violations satisfactorily. To avoid appearing on Enforcement Watch, NMED advises organizations to maintain full compliance or conduct third-party audits if unclear about regulatory responsibilities.
The complete Enforcement Watch can be accessed online at the department's website.
Information from this article can be found here.
