Pajarito Mesa Celebrates Water Win

Community to get fill station after decade long battle (click for journal site)

BY JUAN-CARLOS RODRIGUEZ
Journal Staff Writer

Pajarito Mesa residents spent Saturday celebrating their successful quest to get their own water supply.

Residents, politicians and the various aid groups that helped the off-the-grid population in its nearly decade-long search for water gathered at the site of a future drinking water fill station for a groundbreaking ceremony.

“The groundbreaking was a celebration for the community of Pajarito Mesa for that which is basic to all life — water,” said Robby Rodriguez, executive director of the Southwest Organizing Project, which helped organize the mesa residents trained them how to have meetings, keep minutes, file paperwork and other tasks associated with the project.

The residents are getting a fill station that is going to be connected to a new drinking water reservoir that is going in a little farther east on Pajarito SW.

Gov. Bill Richardson provided the $750,000 it took to get the project done. The Albuquerque-Bernalillo County Water Utility Authority acted as fiscal agent for the project.

“It was a good celebration. We’re all happy because now we see our water system is a reality,” Pajarito Mesa resident Sandra Montes said. “We were all excited that thing is going to start soon.”

Montes added the new fill station is going to be a relief for residents who previously drove all over to fill up large portable tanks with water for their homes.

Nearly 150 residents came out for the ceremony, Rodriguez said, adding that it was a great relief to people who worked hard to get water.

“It all began about 10 years ago when residents first marched to the county commission meeting and demanded basic services. They are taxpaying residents, yet they lacked every single basic service the county provides,” Rodriguez said. “What it all boils down to is, these folks organized and advocated for their basic human dignity.”

Bernalillo County Commissioner Teresa Córdova, who also serves on the authority board, attended the groundbreaking.

“I think it was a very nice community event,” Córdova said. “It was a pleasure to help support their efforts in getting access to water.”

Still, Córdova cautioned that the county will not be extending any other services any time soon.

“Our first priority is still to finish the water system on the valley floor. We’re not bringing any other infrastructure up there,” Córdova said.