The New Mexico Environment Department (NMED) has announced the progress of its Enforcement Watch initiative, which aims to provide transparent and timely updates on enforcement actions related to environmental protection, public health, and worker safety. Since its launch in May 2023, the program has been committed to holding entities accountable for regulatory compliance across the state.
In October 2025, NMED reported that 175 new enforcement actions were initiated, while 45 cases were resolved. These actions are categorized into "Active Matters," which involve ongoing investigations or pending resolutions, and "Resolved Matters," where cases have been settled either through court adjudication or administrative processes.
The department also highlighted its Public Aquatic Venue Program under the Environmental Health Division. This program oversees more than 1,028 public aquatic venues and has conducted over 1,219 inspections in fiscal year 2025. Despite staffing challenges, the program issued 14 notices of violation for construction without permits and continues to focus on training staff in pool operations and safety procedures.
William Schaedla, Director of NMED’s Environmental Health Division, said: "Our team is deeply committed to keeping New Mexico’s public pools and aquatic facilities safe." The program collaborates with various agencies to investigate recreational water illnesses like Legionella and Cryptosporidium.
The Enforcement Watch update for October included violations across several bureaus: Food Safety Program issued notices to establishments for late permit fees; Drinking Water Bureau cited issues such as failure to report disinfectant levels; and the Air Quality Bureau noted violations at a crusher site near Los Lunas. Notably, Motel 6 of Gallup was cited for operating an aquatic venue without a valid health permit.
For further details on enforcement actions or compliance measures, visit NMED's full Enforcement Watch at https://www.env.nm.gov/enforcement-watch. Additionally, NMED confirmed that Las Vegas drinking water remains safe despite concerns about post-fire runoff affecting supply (https://www.krqe.com/news/new-mexico/officials-say-las-vegas-drinking-water-is-still-safe/).
Information from this article can be found here.
