A historic community on the southwestern edge of Santa Fe, New Mexico is getting closer to the modern sewer service most urban residents take for granted, as Santa Fe County moves into the third phase of a long-running effort to replace failing septic systems in Agua Fria.
Agua Fria is an unincorporated village of roughly 2,500 to 3,000 people that predates the City of Santa Fe itself, with roots in the early Spanish colonial period. For decades, residents have depended on aging septic systems and small package treatment plants that have long outlived their useful life. In a state that receives only about 14 inches of rain a year, those failing systems pose a direct threat to the groundwater aquifers that communities across the region depend on for drinking water. The New Mexico Environment Department has flagged aging septic infrastructure in areas like Agua Fria as a priority concern.
Santa Fe County is now seeking a contractor to build Phase III of the project, which will extend centralized sewer collection further into the community and connect more homes to a regional treatment system. At least two earlier phases have already been completed or are underway. The county has not disclosed the construction cost for this phase in publicly available materials.
The slow, phased rollout reflects both the complexity of building sewer infrastructure in a dispersed, unincorporated community and the persistent challenge of financing it. Agua Fria, like many historically Hispanic communities in New Mexico that lack a strong tax base, has long struggled to secure the infrastructure investment that nearby incorporated areas receive. State capital outlay appropriations, EPA revolving fund loans, and federal funding from the 2021 Bipartisan Infrastructure Law have all been cited as potential funding sources for projects like this one across New Mexico.
Some Agua Fria residents have expressed frustration at the pace of construction over the years, along with concerns about hookup fees and mandatory connection requirements once lines reach their properties. Those questions will likely resurface as Phase III brings service to additional streets and households.
How many residents will be connected under this phase, and when construction is expected to be completed, has not been publicly disclosed. The county's purchasing division is accepting bids, with the contract award the next milestone before ground breaks.
