Editor’s Note: A previous version of the article incorrectly stated Niagara was requesting an increase to more than 228 gallons of water. They are requesting an increase to 700 acre feet, more than 228 million gallons.
LOS LUNAS — The Los Lunas Village Council will wait an additional two weeks before considering Niagara’s proposal to pump more water out of village water wells.
Last month, the water bottling company requested to increase its water usage from 285 acre feet per year to 700 acre feet per year — more than 228 million gallons of water.
Makayla Grijalva | News-Bulletin photo
Residents from across the county attended the Los Lunas Village Council meeting on June 23 to oppose an amended agreement with Niagara Bottling Co., which would allow an increase of its water usage to 700 acre feet per year. The discussion and vote will be considered at the council’s July 28 meeting.
When the agreement was first brought to council at the end of June, a discussion and vote were tabled until the July 14 council meeting at the recommendation of the village’s legal counsel since its water consultants did not have a chance to review the amended agreement.
Los Lunas Mayor Charles Griego said the water agreement will not be brought before the council until the July 28 meeting since two members of the council will be absent from the July 14 meeting.
During the village council meeting on June 23, a group of county residents bearing “No more Niagara” signs overflowed into the lobby outside of council chambers.
While some protesters brought up concerns of the village’s July 14 meeting overlapping with the Valencia County Commission’s public hearing on the proposed Natural Resource Overlay Zone, Griego said the postponement is because the council preferred to have all members present when discussing the agreement.
Makayla Grijalva was born and raised in Las Cruces. She is a 2020 graduate of The University of New Mexico, where she studied multimedia journalism, political science and history.
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April 18, 2024
