Residents of Melody Ranch, the small community southeast of Edgewood, are still dealing with water restrictions and boil notices, despite the water company spending nearly $20,000 in repairs and the state escalating to formal regulatory action.
The New Mexico Public Regulation Commission has opened a formal case against Melody Ranch Water Company, marking a significant escalation in state oversight of the utility that serves approximately 80 households near Edgewood. The move comes after months of water outages that began with low pressure in December 2024 and escalated to complete shutoffs by late June.
As of late July, some water service has been restored to the community, but residents must boil all water before use. Water is only available during certain parts of the day, and the underlying problem persists: the well is failing to keep up with demand.
The NMPRC’s decision to open a formal case represents a major step beyond the informal contacts reported in July. According to recent reports, state regulators planned to conduct a site inspection of the water company’s facilities in late July.
In July, NMPRC spokesman Patrick Rodriguez said that both the Consumer Relations Division and Utility Division were “in contact with Melody Ranch to receive updates and learn what steps are being taken to restore water service to normal levels.”
The formal case opening signals that the commission could impose penalties or other regulatory actions against Melody Ranch Water Company for failing to provide essential services.
Melody Ranch Water Company has told state regulators it has spent nearly $20,000 in repairs and upgrades to address the failing water system. The company has also requested financial assistance from the NMPRC.
Despite multiple attempts since July, Melody Ranch Water Company has not responded to requests for comment about the ongoing crisis or repair timeline.
A call to the company Friday morning went unanswered with a voicemail greeting message saying, “After evaluating the tank this morning, there’s not enough in there to be able to turn on for today. But what we want to do is we want to make sure that we have enough water to be able to push out for Saturday and Sunday this weekend. So we will be off today, and I will be reevaluating the tank tonight, and more likely turning on water tomorrow, close to around 12 or two o’clock until the evening hours.”
Torrance County has become directly involved in addressing the crisis. County Manager Jordan Barela said in a statement that the county “reached out to the owner of the water company, we’ve had at least a couple of discussions to try to determine really what the fundamental issue with the water system is.”
Emergency assistance continues from outside the area, with the Albuquerque Water Authority making regular water deliveries to affected residents. Local businesses, including the County Line feed store, have provided free water to residents.
Community members continue to help each other navigate the ongoing crisis, sharing resources and information through social media platforms and neighborhood networks.
Timeline of the Crisis
The water problems at Melody Ranch have steadily worsened over nearly eight months:
- December 2024: Residents first noticed reduced water pressure
- March 2025: Water pressure dropped to approximately half normal levels
- June 2025: Complete water shutoffs began occurring
- July 2025: Community had been without consistent service for nearly two months
- Late July 2025: Partial service restored but with mandatory boil notices
Next Steps
The NMPRC has not announced a specific timeline for resolving the formal case or when residents might expect full water service restoration. As a regulated utility, Melody Ranch Water Company faces potential penalties for failing to provide essential services.
Residents affected by the ongoing outage can file complaints with the NMPRC by calling 1-888-427-5772 or visiting www.prc.nm.gov.
The water company’s contact information remains limited to a P.O. Box in Albuquerque and a phone number listed on the NMPRC website, with no physical office address publicly available.
