EL PASO, Texas (KTSM) — The Camino Real Regional Utility Authority (CRRUA) provided an update for Sunland Park and Santa Teresa residents on Thursday, Feb. 1 who are still experiencing discolored water.
The CRRUA provides water to both Santa Teresa and Sunland Park and says its currently taking measures to improve the issue by focusing on its arsenic treatment facilities.
CRRUA Interim Executive Director Juan Carlos Crosby says the discolored water has been caused by sediments in the arsenic filter media that accumulated over time at the Santa Teresa Industrial Park Arsenic Treatment Plant (STIPATP).
“We are taking immediate action to backwash the arsenic filter media at the STIPATP,” Crosby
said.
According to Crosby, the filter should be backwashed every two weeks. However, the regular backwashing did not occur as needed, so now the filter is being backwashed every two days until the sediments are removed.
“Until then, the water could appear discolored at times as the sediments are being disturbed during the backwash process,” Crosby said.
“I realize that discolored water causes concerns, so I want to assure everyone that the water is safe to drink, cook and bathe with. There is no need to boil it first,” Crosby says.
He also says that while the CRRUA has identified the source of the discolored water, the backwash process will take time.
In recent months, there have been several high-profile incidents where residents were upset about the quality, color and taste of their water.
Read: Read More