City council approves new arsenic systems

March 24, 2010

The Belen City Council unanimously approved on Monday night bids for three point-of-use arsenic treatment systems in the Belen Industrial Park.

The work was awarded to TLC Plumbing and Utility of Albuquerque for just under $75,000.

The company will install arsenic filtration systems south of Belen at the New Mexico National Guard Armory, the Middle Rio Grande Conservancy District and the New Mexico Department of Transportation Patrol Yard.

Right now, the city well at the Belen Industrial Park has more than 10 parts per billion of arsenic in the water, which means the well isn’t in compliance with federal arsenic regulations.

The project is funded by a grant from the State of New Mexico, with a completion date of May 15.

Once the project is completed, all of Belen’s wells will be in compliance with federal arsenic regulations.

The city has one well — referred to as the CAVCO well — that’s at or just under 10 parts per billion. Should that well require an arsenic removal system, the cost to the city could be as high as $2.4 million.

Posted in: Contracts Infrastructure