Map from water presentation on 10/14/25 showing locations of wells and septic systems in the Village. POD = Point of Diversion
All citizens of Corrales should view the presentation regarding water in the Village made by Mike Haman, John Stomp, Brittany Gaume, and Carole Cristiano at the 10/14/2025 Council Meeting. It appears that the Village is missing documentation regarding municipal water wells going back about 22 years that has to be provided to the Office of the State Engineer (OSE). We have to be in compliance to get permitted for new water rights and to protect our current rights. The OSE has started working with the Village to get our permits and water rights records all in order. This has no effect on private citizen’s wells, though now may be a good time to make sure your well permit is in your name at the State Engineer’s office. The Village will continue to be proactive in obtaining water to fight fire and provide additional water for agriculture as needed in the future. Almost every transfer of permitted water rights in this stretch of the Rio Grande will be challenged by someone. Having all the i’s dotted and t’s crossed as well as existing permits in order will help us win those challenges. There is NO PLAN to take anyone’s water nor the rights to their water in this plan. Watch the video and ask questions. You can watch the presentation here: https://youtu.be/8efTaYsIiUg?si=j51nJ3qtLqI-FlzT&t=3150.
Another thing that came up during this council meeting was the idea that the administration was going to construct a $100 million dollar sewer line in the whole village without being transparent. How do you construct a sewer line in the entire Village, secretly, and get anyone to hook up? There is no plan to do that. What the administration is trying to do is understand the Village’s septic needs and public health concerns into the future. Here is the timeline for how this idea resulted in the Preliminary Engineering Report presented by Stantec to the Village Council in June of this year in which it was reported a sewer project for the entire Village was estimated to cost over $100 million:
- The “sewer line” project started back in 2021, when then Public Works Director Michael Chavez identified the need for a bypass route for the STEP system along Corrales Road. Currently the staff cannot shut the system down or re-route the flow of the wastewater when work needs to be done, and their health is at risk working in dirty water. The mayor and administration began to look at ways to address this issue.
- May 2022 – Administration met with grant-writer Chuck Thomas to discuss possible grant funding for a bypass system. He suggested an application to the Clean Water State Revolving Fund. Chuck Thomas was under contract with the Village and completed the applications on behalf of the Village.
- September 13, 2022, Resolution 22-63 Accepting the CWSRF Funds is passed by the council by unanimous vote of those present (Councilor Alsobrook was absent). The Village received a grant for $75,000 to pay for a preliminary engineering report and $2 million to pay for design documents.
- November 15, 2022, Ordinance 22-05 Entering into an Agreement with NMED for Project Funds for Wastewater Project and Resolution 22-63 Authorizing the Assignment of Authorized Officer(s) and Agent(s) for grant project CWSRF 124 are passed by the council both with a unanimous vote (all councilors were present).
- April 23, 2023, ad is run in Albuquerque Journal announcing RFP 23-001 accepting proposals for professional design services for the Corrales Wastewater Project. Stantec was chosen as the winning proposal in June 2023 and contract negotiations began. A final contract with Stantec went into effect on August 6, 2024, authorizing Stantec to create a Preliminary Engineering report (PER) for the project.
- The PER was presented to the council and the community on June 24, 2025.
- The next step is to design the bypass using the $2 million portion of the grant received in 2022. The preliminary engineering report and these design documents will not cost the Village any of its general funds, as they were a grant from the Clean Water State Revolving Fund. These funds can only be spent on the project we identified initially in 2022, which is design of a bypass for the current STEP system.
Our next steps also include development of a volunteer water testing project to monitor water quality and are going to consult the Secretary at New Mexico Environment Department to assist us with recommendations. Since the main purpose of a municipality’s government is to protect public health and safety, we would like to know what our options are to address any issues with ground water quality before they occur.
Trunk or Treat will be on Halloween, 10/31, at the Rec Center. The event will be from 6 PM until 7 PM. Sign up to give out candy is on the Parks and Rec page under “registration” https://www.corrales-nm.org/parksrec. The Corrales Kiwanis club will be leading the way with the theme Animal Kingdom. Look out for the Lions, Tigers, and Bears in addition to the ghosts, vampires, and witches.
There will be a Mayor Candidate Forum/Debate on 10/21 at the Corrales Rec Center in the new Gym from 6:30 until 7:30 PM. Try to come and learn about the candidates and concerns of the community.
HEALTH AND SAFETY UPDATE
Respiratory illnesses are still at low levels which makes this the perfect time for you to protect yourself by getting your respiratory illness vaccines, such as influenza and Covid. If you’re 50 years or older and have not received a pneumonia vaccine, this is a great time to get that done as well. Persons age 19 to 49 with medical conditions that put them at increased risk should speak to their doctor to see if they should get the pneumonia vaccine. While we think of fall and winter as respiratory illness season, there are still other illnesses such as norovirus, which can lead to diarrhea and vomiting. Hand sanitizer is a great way to try to fend off illness when there is no area to wash your hands, but please remember that norovirus is not inactivated by hand sanitizer. It can also live on surfaces for an extended period of time. The best way to clean to effectively disinfect surfaces is to use a bleach solution of 1/3 cup bleach per 1 gallon of water or an EPA-registered disinfectant. If you need assistance scheduling your vaccines, please contact Deputy Fire Chief Tanya Lattin at 505-702-4182.
UPCOMING EVENTS
TODAY – Lunch Bunch with Corrales MainStreet at Sandia Bar 12 PM
TODAY – Library Lifelong Learning program “Wine Making in New Mexico” presentation by John Rinaldi 3 PM
SATURDAY – Wood removal event sponsored by Corrales Bosque Advisory Commission at Via Oreada 9 – 11 AM
SATURDAY – Pumpkin decorating for kids at the library 10 AM
SATURDAY– Artist Reception at the Library for Candace Cates-Cavellier “Dreaming Allowed” 10 AM – 12 PM
SUNDAY – CHS Speaker Series presents “Unforgettable Ghost Story Interviews” by Hank Estrada, 2 PM at the Historic Old San Ysidro Church. This event is free but seating is limited to 150 persons.
TUESDAY - Mayoral Candidate Forum, Corrales Gym, 500 Jones Road 6:30 PM
THURSDAY – Corrales Compadres final happy hour of 2025, O’Hare’s Grille and Pub, 4100 Southern Blvd. 4 – 6 PM
Remember, we are all neighbors in the Village. We share this community, this country, and we have to work together to ensure longevity and success. We are all more alike than different. Be kind, thoughtful, and considerate of your fellow Corraleños, especially during this election cycle. Realize people may have different opinions and goals. They are still our neighbors and should be allowed to speak freely, even when factually incorrect. Be courteous, drive the posted speed limit, and yield to equestrians, pedestrians, and bicyclists.
Jim Fahey
Mayor of Corrales