Sandoval County declares disaster after storm breaks water main in Navajo Nation

Sandoval County officials formally declared a flooding disaster in the Navajo Nation on Tuesday. The decision follows severe storms that began on Oct. 31 and left residents in three chapters without running water or electricity.

Commissioner Josh Jones read the resolution during an emergency meeting in Bernalillo. The document cites damage from the Jemez River and Rio Puerco watersheds. Specific impacts are concentrated in the Torreon-Star Lake, Ojo Encino, and Counselor Chapters.

The storm caused a break in an 8-inch water main serving the Ojo Encina and Torreón areas. This failure washed out roads and water lines. The Ojo Encino Chapter also lost electrical service during the event.

Operational issues at the Bloomfield water treatment facility have further reduced the water supply. The resolution states that supply may remain inadequate even after the damaged main is repaired. Jones noted that the loss of potable water threatens public health and safety.

Local agencies are currently providing bottled water and potable water tankers. These groups include Sandoval County, local fire services, the San Luis-Cabezon Mutual Domestic Water Association, the Albuquerque Bernalillo County Water Utility Authority, and New Mexico Rural Water.

The resolution states that the cost of restoring water service and repairing infrastructure exceeds county resources. It requests that Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham declare a state of emergency and the Navajo Nation declare a disaster. The vote was 4-0, with Commissioner Mike Meek absent.