‘We don’t ask for much’: Pojoaque mobile home park residents face 11 days without water
Residents of Pojoaque Terraces Mobile Home Park have been without water for nearly two weeks after a well collapsed, with ongoing concerns about water quality and limited communication from management.
POJOAQUE, N.M. —
Residents of Pojoaque Terraces Mobile Home Park have been without water for 11 days after the park’s manager said a well collapsed, leaving families struggling to meet basic needs.
“It really takes a toll, both financially and being capable of doing what you need to feed, bathe [and] clothe your kids, your family,” one resident, who didn’t want to be named, said.
The resident described the challenges of finding places to shower and eat. They also said this is not the first time the park has faced water-related issues.
“We deal with this on a monthly basis, if not similar to a long-term period on a yearly basis,” the resident said.
Mary Andrews, a resident of 23 years, said her water became discolored several years ago.
“I noticed dark particles in the water, and sometimes they felt coarse — like sandy,” Andrews said.
Pojoaque Terraces is part of Santa Fe County, and its drinking water system is regulated by the New Mexico Environment Department. In late 2022, the department intervened after finding concentrations of uranium in the park’s water wells. Plans for a treatment system are underway, but the current water crisis must be resolved first.
“When they don’t have water, obviously, then they can’t then utilize the treatment plant,” Avery Young of the New Mexico Environment Department said. “The way in which we’re kind of holding them accountable is to make sure that they’re following that compliance order and developing treatment that’s appropriate for the violations that they had.”
Residents said communication from the property’s manager, Cindy Sumner, has been minimal.
“They really didn’t address those issues,” Andrews said when asked how management handled past water problems.
Sumner, who lives at the park, was not home when KOAT knocked on her door. When reached by phone, she said she “didn’t know” when water service might be restored — and that she’d communicate by email with any updates.
For now, residents remain in the dark about when their water will return and are demanding accountability from management.
“We don’t ask for much. We ask for [the] bare minimum,” one resident said. “As of right now, we’re getting below that from where we’re sitting.”
“I want updates, [and] I want progress — that is the truth,” Andrews said. “That’s, I think, all we’re asking for.”
The New Mexico Environment Department said it could take another month to install a new well at Pojoaque Terraces. In the meantime, residents can shower at the Pojoaque Pueblo Wellness Center at 101 Lightning Loop for free.
