FAQs

We are typically in the office Monday, Wednesday, and Friday from 10 am to 1 pm. If we are not available, leave a message and someone will get back with you within the next business day.

The System Operator in training is Eddie Jacques. He is available to take emergency calls. His direct phone number is: 559-553-5676.

If he is unavailable, please call Agatha King at 575-773-4254. 

You will receive a bill once a quarter; January, April, July, and October. Every quarter you are billed a monthly service fee for the upcoming 3 months. Additionally, you are billed for the water you used the previous 3 months.

The first week of the first month of each quarter your meter is read. The reading is based on the current reading less the previous quarter’s reading. The total gallons used is charged for according to the QLWA water rate schedule. It is $6.00 per one thousand gallons of use up to the first 18,000 gallons.

The System Operator turns water meters off in October and on in April each year. If you want your water to remain on, in the fall, you must submit a form requesting your water NOT be turned off. If you want your water to remain off in April, you must let the office know you do not want your water turned on in the spring. If your water is off and you are planning a trip to Quemado Lake, you must give the office advanced notice of your arrival date. With advanced notice, we can be sure your water is on when you arrive. If you do not give advance notice, having your water turned on is subject to the availability of the Operator to do so. 

Only the QLWA System Operator or his designee is allowed inside the Water Meter Box. Some property owners have a secondary box with their own control valve. If you have a secondary box, you may use the valve in the secondary box to turn your water on and off.

The system rules and regulations require that all members install their own on/off valves within a year of membership.  

No, all properties with water connections must be equipped with a septic system for waste and wastewater. If the owner uses a seasonal camper or RV, and does not have a septic system, any wastewater must be disposed of outside of Quemado Lake Estates to protect the aquafer.

There is a website called the New Mexico Drinking Water Bureau. This website has a complete history of QLWA’s water testing and results. A link to the NMDWB is on this website for your convenience. Additionally, the water system is required to provide a CCR (Consumer Confidence Report) annually to the community. This is completed in May and is made availble to the community by July 1 each year. You may find a current copy of the CCR on the webiste here, or at the New Mexico Drinking Water Watch Website. 

The Quemado Lake Water Association is governed by the Board of Directors. There are 5 members of the Board. All members of the Association vote on Board members. Positions on the Board are voted on every two years. Each Board member serves a  4-year term. The board consists of a President, Vice President, Treasurer, Secretary, and a Director at large. There is a section on the website called “Meet your Board”. 

The Water System’s daily operations are run by a Systems Administrator and Assistant Systems Administrator. 

New "drive-by" meters were installed in August 2022. These meters use ultrasound technology that help the community be better stewards of our water resource. In addition, these meters assist in identifying system leaks at the source. These new meters were funded through a grant award from the New Mexico Capital Outlay Process. We lost the pump and motor of the original well in 2023. the pump and motor and electrical boxes for both wells have been replaced.  We replaced the booster pump station in the fall of 2023. The booster pump station suffered a catastrophic pump failure in May 2022. Thankfully, the old booster station remained operational while we waited for the installation of the new booster skid. We were able to secure an emergency funding grant from the New Mexico Department of Finance Authority. In March of 2024, an unusual snow storm hit and knocked out power for 91 hours. During this time, the Booster Station generator, which was installed in 2007, broke its drive-shaft. We were able to set up a back up pumping operation to maintain water during this time. Grant funding allowed us the opportunity to replace this generator with a new Generac in May of 2024. We continue to look forward to replacing the old fiberglass water tank.