Welcome to the Office of the New Mexico Natural Resources Trustee
 

South Valley Site

Bernalillo County

SITE HISTORY:

Industrial activities during the 1950s and 1960s resulted in contaminated soil and groundwater due to chlorinated solvents and other substances, leading to the closure of 20 private and two municipal water supply wells.

The State of New Mexico reached a $135,000 settlement on August 20, 1998 with Van Waters & Rogers, Inc., one of the parties responsible for contributions to groundwater contamination. On January 10,

2006 a partial settlement agreement was reached with several of the remaining responsible parties, and ONRT received an additional $4.8 million for groundwater restoration.

 
GROUNDWATER RESTORATION:

The ONRT has identified two projects for groundwater restoration: the Mountain View Nitrate Plume Restoration Project and the Liquid Waste Groundwater Protection Project.
 

Mountain View Nitrate Plume Restoration Project Map Map of Bosque Restoration Project

ONRT has begun implementation of the Mountain View Nitrate Plume Restoration Project. Details about the project can be found in the Natural Resources Restoration Plan for the South Valley Superfund Site [El Plan de Restauración de Recursos Naturales para el Sitio del Superfondo de South Valley, Albuquerque, Nuevo Mexico].

   
This is the site of groundwater contamination that has existed for over 50 years and for which no other sources of funding for cleanup are available. The contractor will use a bioremediation cleanup technology to remove nitrate from contaminated groundwater that is currently unusable. The $4M, 4-year restoration project will remove 450,000 pounds of nitrate from the groundwater

A groundwater sample is filtered before being analyzed in the field for nitrate concentration.  6/30/09.
plume hotspots allowing the remainder of the plume to naturally attenuate to below State groundwater standards in less than 20 years.  In addition to cleanup of the contaminated groundwater, the project will prevent future groundwater contamination. ONRT will fund the cleanup activities, and NMED, under agreement with ONRT, will provide the technical management and contractor oversight. 
 

The Mountain View Nitrate Plume Restoration Project provides the following benefits:

bulleted item    Prevention of future groundwater contamination by removal of       

       contaminated soils

bulleted item    Reduction of nitrate concentrations in groundwater

bulleted item    Reduction in the size of the contaminated plume

bulleted item    Return the aquifer to usable conditions.
 
Liquid Waste Groundwater Protection Project
The Liquid Waste Groundwater Protection Project addresses the impact to groundwater quality from substandard liquid waste disposal systems in Sandoval, Socorro and Valencia counties.  The ONRT is funding the upgrade of substandard, household liquid waste disposal systems for qualified indigent homeowners. Initially, ONRT will provide $230,000 for the implementation of this restoration project.  Additional funds may be added in the future. The New Mexico Environment Department Environmental Health Division oversees the implementation of the Project for ONRT. 

Project funds pay for the following actions:
   
bulleted item Abandonment of cesspools or other substandard on-site liquid waste disposal systems.  

Installation of new 1,000-gallon

concrete septic tank. 2/14/2011.
bulleted item Installation of liquid waste disposal systems that meet regulatory standards.
bulleted item		 Connection of a household to a centralized wastewater collection and treatment system.
As of late February 2011, nine properties had their substandard liquid waste disposals systems replaced with new septic tanks and
 

appropriately sized drain fields, thus reducing or eliminating the threat of groundwater contamination posed by the substandard systems.

Additional details about the Liquid Waste Groundwater Protection Project can be found in the Restoration Plan for Groundwater Protection in the Middle Rio Grande Valley.

Fact Sheet

Application (English)(Spanish)

 
Installation of plastic infiltrator chambers for the drain field of new septic system. 2/14/2011.
 
MEDIA RELEASES:
bulleted item State to Begin Project to Flush Out Failing Septic Systems (5/3/10)
   
bulleted item Office of Natural Resources Trustee Restoring Nitrate Contaminated Groundwater (6/30/09)
   
bulleted item

Governor Bill Richardson Announces Projects to Restore Water Resources in Albuquerque’s South Valley (7/2/08)

   
bulleted item South Valley Groundwater Restoration Project Announced (12/18/07)
   
bulleted item Settlement Will Fund Mountain View Cleanup (10/6/07)
   
bulleted item Plan Puts Cash Towards Cleanup (9/19/07)
   
bulleted item Deadline Nears for Superfund (1/18/07)

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