New Mexico Wastewater Collection System Fundamentals
Certification Structure
New Mexico's Utility Operator Certification Program certifies collection system operators under a two-level ladder: Wastewater Collection System Level 1 (CS1) and Level 2 (CS2). Certifications renew every 3 years.
A Mix of Urban and Rural Systems
New Mexico's collection systems range from larger municipal sewer networks in cities like Albuquerque, Las Cruces, and Santa Fe, down to many small rural communities that still rely on septic systems or short lift-station-fed lines feeding lagoon treatment rather than an extensive gravity sewer network.
Terrain Drives Heavy Reliance on Lift Stations
Unlike flatter states where gravity sewers can run for miles without assistance, New Mexico's variable terrain — mesas, arroyos, and mountain communities — frequently interrupts continuous gravity fl