NM Environment Department Confirms Lifting of "Boil Water Advisory" for Harvest Gold Subdivision--Now Part of Customer-Owned Apple Orchard System. 460 Apple Orchard Customers in San Juan County No Longer Urged to Boil Water Prior to Drinking

SANTA FE – The New Mexico Environment Department's (NMED) Drinking Water Bureau is confirming that the Harvest Gold Subdivision—previously owned and operated by AV Water but now part of the Apple Orchard Mutual Domestic Water Consumers Association (MDWCA)—has met the requirements to lift the Boil Water Advisory issued last year on June 3, 2016.

At first, the Harvest Gold Subdivision/Apple Orchard MDWCA was required to issue the advisory after their system's drinking water quality could not be fully verified. The system's drinking water was thereafter found to be exceeding safe standards for turbidity. The advisory applied to the approximately 460 customers served by the Harvest Gold Subdivision/Apple Orchard MDWCA. The Boil Water Advisory did not extend to any of the other surrounding water systems or communities.

During the extended period of the Boil Water Advisory, NMED's Drinking Water Bureau provided steady guidance and assistance throughout; for water system customers, new and old owners, and operators; community organizations. Multi-faceted support came through the issuance of Emergency Orders, compliance oversight, and technical support to ensure drinking water safety.

After the connection to Bloomfield Water Supply System was completed, the Harvest Gold Subdivision/Apple Orchard MDWCA system was completely flushed. Subsequent samples collected from the water system were negative for bacteriological contamination and turbidity levels were sufficiently below standard to enable today's lifting of the Boil Water Advisory.

More information is available at: https://www.env.nm.gov/drinking_water/av-water/ and at: https://www.env.nm.gov/drinking_water/av-water-timeline/.

For more facts about New Mexico's Boil Water Advisories in English and Spanish please visit: https://www.env.nm.gov/drinking_water/boil-water-advisories/ and for more information on today's announcement please call NMED's Drinking Water Bureau Compliance Officer, Jim Jones at (505) 566-9742.