Village Board Passes Resolution Amid Critical Tank Levels Caused by Wildfire Debris - Mayor Cooksey

Alamogordo, NM — The Village of Tularosa has declared a formal water emergency and enacted an immediate ban on all outdoor watering, following a dramatic drop in municipal water storage levels. The emergency resolution (NO. 2026-2027-9) was passed and adopted by the Village Board on August 3rd, 2026, as water tank levels plummeted from 16 feet to just 6 feet overnight.

The crisis stems from recent heavy monsoon rains in the upper watershed and neighboring Ruidoso area that washed wildfire ash, soot, and debris into the Tularosa regional water sources. According to Mayor Debbie Cooksey, the contaminated water cannot be processed through standard treatment facilities without risking damage to filters and pumps that could cost hundreds of thousands of dollars to replace.

“We can’t process water like that,” Mayor Cooksey explained during an interview conducted Sunday. “It’s mud, not water. We have to let it settle down before we can bring it into our holding pond.”

Emergency Response Underway

To address the immediate crisis, the Village has deployed several emergency measures:

• A potable water truck is delivering approximately 6,000 gallons of treated water daily directly into the fresh water system

• Multiple loads have already been delivered, with plans for continued deliveries

• Community members and local farmers have offered additional water support

• Water-intensive businesses, including restaurants with commercial dishwashers, were asked to voluntarily close operations

“We’ve had a tremendous turnout of people offering to help us,” Mayor Cooksey said, noting that all but two restaurants complied with closure requests.

Mandatory Restrictions in Effect

Section 2 of the resolution explicitly prohibits:

• Lawn sprinking

• Watering of gardens and landscaping

• Washing of vehicles or driveways

• Filling or topping off swimming pools, hot tubs, and decorative fountains

All residents and commercial enterprises are urged to practice severe indoor water conservation, including shorter showers, running only full loads of laundry and dishes, and repairing active plumbing leaks.

The restrictions remain in force for an initial seven-day period, or until further notice is provided by Village administration upon verification that water treatment capabilities and tank levels have safely recovered.

Enforcement and Penalties

The Tularosa Police Department and municipal code enforcement officers are authorized to issue immediate citations and fines to anyone observed violating the outdoor watering prohibition. Violations can result in penalties up to $500 or 90 days in jail, according to municipal ordinance.

“We ran around and made sure nobody was watering,” Mayor Cooksey said of the enforcement efforts over the weekend. “If we didn’t stop this, we would not have had enough water. We would have woke up this morning with no water.”

Timeline for Recovery

The mayor estimates that restrictions may need to remain in place for approximately three weeks, coinciding with the end of monsoon season—currently halfway through its cycle.

“Once the monsoon season ends, we should be fine,” Mayor Cooksey stated. “But monsoon season is not over, and every time it rains up there, it’s gonna affect us down here.”

Mayor’s Message to Residents

Mayor Cooksey issued a direct appeal to Tularosa residents to comply with the restrictions:

“Please do not water. If you care about Tularosa at all, and you love living here, abide by our rule and not water. I’ve got 7 rose bushes and 8 or 9 plants in my yard, but if they die, they die. It’s only plants and grass. If we don’t have any water to shower, or to flush our toilets, or to drink, that’s a real big issue.”

For more information or questions regarding the water emergency and restrictions, residents can contact Mayor Cooksey, the Village trustees, or the Tularosa Village office. Contact numbers are available on the Village of Tularosa website.

Here the complete interview with the Tularosa Mayor at 

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