By Kevin Hendricks, The Paper.
Rio Rancho residents can keep drinking straight from the tap — the city’s water met every federal and state safety standard in 2025 — but a paperwork slip means one well is still waiting on a minor fix that was due back in March, according to the city’s newly released Consumer Confidence Report.
The report, released in late June and covering calendar year 2025, found no contaminant exceeding federal action levels across arsenic, lead, copper, nitrate and dozens of other tested substances. The one blemish: a routine 2022 state inspection flagged Well #7 for lacking a corrosion-resistant vent screen, with a fix due by March 2026.
“An extension to the March 2026 timeframe to address was not requested by the necessary timeline,” said Ludella Awad, communications specialist for the City of Rio Rancho. Awad said the vent change is now scheduled for fall 2026 as part of a broader Well #7 rehabilitation project.
The all-clear on safety comes as the city pushes conservation harder than usual. Sandoval County and Rio Rancho are in severe drought, following a 20-year trend of below-normal mountain snowfall — and city officials say residents use as much as 40% of their annual water outdoors, making summer conservation critical.
More Details:
- The city has injected more than 350 million gallons of purified water back into the Santa Fe Group Aquifer since 2017 through its “Rio Rancho Pure” project.
- All 39,824 water service lines in the city’s inventory have been confirmed as non-lead.
- Rebates are available for smart irrigation controllers (up to $300), xeriscape conversions ($1/sq ft) and high-efficiency sprinkler nozzles ($2 each).
- Full report: rrnm.gov/1525/Water-Quality-Reports
- Rebate info/eligibility: rrnm.gov
- Utilities Administration: (505) 896-8715
- Report a leak: (505) 891-5020