State Police probing town's water deal

BERNALILLO, N.M. (KRQE) - The Town of Bernalillo spent millions of dollars on a new system to clean its drinking water, but now New Mexico State Police apparently want to know if something or someone is dirty.

Last week state police investigators hit the Town of Bernalillo hard, seizing boxes of files on wells, water and purchases as well as one computer.

KRQE News 13 has learned state investigators are looking at who the town chose to clean its water and how.

"I'm not aware of any crimes that were committed," acting Town Manager Santiago Chavez said Wednesday.

The possible problems actually started with volcanoes on the west side of the metro area that leave too much arsenic in drinking water. In 2001, the Feds changed standards lowering the maximum arsenic allowed in drinking water and ordered cities and states to comply.

The Town of Bernalillo tested and went with a local company, Arsenic Removal Systems. Even though the technology was experimental, the town spent millions of dollars on it, and state police want to know why.

In April of 2005 then-Mayor Charles Aguilar said, "I'm just hoping it's something that's going to work...because the whole state is being asked to look at the arsenic levels."

But when the City of Albuquerque addressed its arsenic problem it opted for a system with a track record.

"We wanted to go with the best available option, something that was proven, something that was not experimental," spokesman David Morris of the Albuquerque Bernalillo County Water Utility Authority said.

Sources confirmed State Police investigators are looking at the relationship between the Town of Bernalillo and the water consultant NCS or Narasimhan Consulting Services. The owner there said he's done nothing wrong.

Investigators are also looking at former town manager Steven Jerge's reported misuse of town credit cards. Jerge, who was the focus of an investigative report last month by News 13's Larry Barker , was the project manager for the water cleanup.