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EAWSD ORGANIZATIONAL FAQs

​What is EAWSD?

  • Eldorado Area Water and Sanitation District (EAWSD) is a special governmental district formed under the New Mexico's Water & Sanitation District Act NMSA 1978, Sections 73-21-1 through 73-21-54. The original owner of Eldorado's water system, El Dorado Utilities, Inc., (known as EDU) was a subsidiary of the developer and at the time, a private, for-profit company. Now, EAWSD is a governmental body (not-for-profit) governed by an elected, unpaid Board of Directors. It is subject to the laws of the State of New Mexico and the regulations of the New Mexico Drinking Water Bureau and the Federal Environmental Protection Agency.  

 

Is there an advantage to having a governmental entity provide water service?

  • The key advantage is accountability to the community.  EAWSD Board members are both customers and property owners who are elected by fellow customers and property owners.

  • All meetings, financial reporting, audits, and procurement decisions are subject to strict regulatory requirements. All monies raised to fund EAWSD become a dedicated resource that cannot be diverted to municipal, county, or corporate projects, as could be the case if the utility were a department in a city, such as Santa Fe, or if our system were still owned by private investors.

 

Who does the work of EAWSD?

  • The District has three full-time employees: a General Manager, an Administrative Projects Manager, an Administrative Assistant, and the EAWSD Board (elected & unpaid).

  • Committee members, also unpaid, support the Board and administrative staff. They also are property owners and customers of the District. Operations, maintenance, and billing functions are performed under an ongoing contract with Jacobs, a national engineering firm specializing in water utility services. 

  • Specialized engineering, financial, legal, and hydrology services are contracted for as needed.

 

What facilities does EAWSD manage?

System components include:

  • 6 storage tanks, with 2.5 million gallons’ maximum capacity, typically operated at 90% full;

  • 9 active wells in two well fields and three major aquifer groups, plus numerous observation/monitoring wells;

  • More than 130 miles of distribution and transmission lines (4" and above)

  • 7 active booster pump stations;

  • More than 600 isolation valves, and 28 pressure-reducing valve stations;

  • More than 600 fire hydrants;

  • Computerized monitoring and control system (SCADA), connected to key facilities, which provides for remote operation and monitoring of the water system, including by 'on-call' operators at night and on weekends;

  • Facilities, including an Administrative Office, Customer Service and Billing Office, and most recently, the Field Workshop for Operations use. 

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