Rio Rancho wants disaster declaration

RIO RANCHO, N.M. (AP) - Rio Rancho city councilors are asking the governor for a disaster declaration for the area to help with the cost of repairing damage from a heavy rain last month.

A declaration would make the central New Mexico city eligible to recover 75 percent of the approved costs from the state.

Nearly 2 inches of rain fell on parts of Rio Rancho the night of Aug. 23, damaging roads and causing a main sewer line to break, which sent raw sewage into Montoyas Arroyo.

The rain also pushed tons of silt into drainage facilities.

The Albuquerque Journal reports that Rio Rancho has spent about $317,000 from its general fund so far on repairs and cleanup.

Information from: Albuquerque Journal