New residential well permit in Taos (Santa Fe: homes, buying, luxury)

[lostboy]

Hello everyone, I’m currently living in Colorado so I’m used to strict water usage rules. I am a builder and I’m looking for a lot near Taos to build a cabin. I’ve been to the State engineers website and I know there is a lot of info there but I was hoping to hear from locals. Are there any issues with well water quality around Taos? Any areas to avoid ? Skunky water like around Pagosa Springs? Leaky landfills contaminating the water table? Etc, etc? I want to own my own well and I’ll talk to the well drillers in the area for more info but if anyone could comment on the water quality in the area, it would be much appreciated. TIA

[Ruth4Truth]

You REALLY need to study water rights in Taos County. NM went through several water rights settlements with local tribes, who, similar to other parts of the West, typically have first right to water, by law. With water becoming more scarce, and also with growing demands for development and population growth, the Native claims on water needed to be quantified and clarified, and an agreement worked out that would be acceptable to all sides.

Here you can get started on the topic (see link). Elsewhere, non-Native property owners were required to cap their wells and connect to a new regional water delivery system. I don't know how the Taos area agreement, known as the Abeyta Settlement, played out.
https://www.taosnews.com/stories/tao...explained,6563

https://www.taosgov.com/208/Abeyta-Settlement-Agreement

[lostboy]

Thanks so much for the reply Ruth. Very informative.

[Ruth4Truth]

Originally Posted by lostboy

Thanks so much for the reply Ruth. Very informative.

These agreements can be pretty arcane. You might have to consult with a legal specialist for a clear understanding of how the properties you're considering would be affected. The general gist as these were being worked out, was that ground water would go to the tribes, surface water--to non-Natives. But it didn't work out so neatly and tidily in the end. For one thing, some people had spent a lot of money on creating their wells, and demanded compensation, if they were to be required to cap the wells.

So in the end, I got lost in all the ins and outs of the agreement affecting my area (around Santa Fe). I don't have a well, anyway, but I'm interested in anything pertaining to Indian affairs, so I tried to follow it. Compromises were worked out, but the end result was fairly complex.

Let us know how it works out for you, in the end. We love follow-ups!

[lostboy]

I’ve lived in the west long enough to appreciate how important water is. I wouldn’t buy a property unless I could own a residential well outright so I guess Taos is off the list. It’s a pretty area but there are lots of scenic areas out west. It’s an embarrassment of riches.

[Ruth4Truth]

Originally Posted by lostboy

I’ve lived in the west long enough to appreciate how important water is. I wouldn’t buy a property unless I could own a residential well outright so I guess Taos is off the list. It’s a pretty area but there are lots of scenic areas out west. It’s an embarrassment of riches.

That's too bad. The Taos area really is beautiful, and greener and more scenic than the area around Santa Fe, IMO. Be careful if you look in Arizona, too. They went through the same process with their tribes. Also, I've read stories about people buying homes in a new development, only to have their well sputter dry, because a REIT bought land nearby, and was pumping groundwater for a golf course and luxury development. Water isn't as well-protected in some parts of AZ, it seems, from corporate exploitation.

Have you considered the Tahoe area? The Nevada side of the lake is cheaper.

[lostboy]

My brother used to live in Reno and I’ve visited Tahoe. Very pretty but I was interested in the cultural mosaic that is unique to New Mexico. Gotta have that water tho......