Opinion ID: 1387075
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Water providers expressly excluded from the PUA:

Text: Municipalities that have not elected to come within the terms of the Public Utility Act. Section 62-3-3(E). Water utilities owned by class B counties. Section 62-6-4(A) excludes from the PUA a water utility owned and operated by ... a class B county. Among the factors that define a class B county is a population of more than ninety-eight thousand but less than one hundred thousand. NMSA 1978, § 4-36-8(A) (Cum.Supp.1995). Water for exclusively personal use. Section 62-3-3(G) refers to Section 62-3-4(A), which excludes from the PUA any person who furnishes water service only to himself. Railroad-owned water facilities that are merely incidental to the railroad business. Section 62-3-3(G) refers to Section 62-3-4(B), which excludes water services owned by railroads that are only incidental to its railroad business. These are also expressly excluded by the Water Utilities regulations promulgated by the PUA in 2 NMPUC Rule 710.4(u)(3) (Jan. 1, 1989) (definitions). Utilities that are for lease or sale. Section 62-3-3(G) refers to Section 62-3-4.1(A), which excludes a Section 62-3-3(G) utility which is leased or held for lease or sale, or which is vested by lease or other contract. Moreover, if such a lease or contract has been terminated or breached, the utility will not come under the PUA for up to ninety days. Article 11, Section 7 utilities. Section 62-3-3(G) refers to Section 62-3-4 which excludes utilities covered by Article 11, Section 7 of the New Mexico Constitution which discusses the powers of the corporation commission over railway, express, telegraph, telephone, sleeping car and other transportation and transmission companies and common carriers within the state. Irrigation systems. These are excluded from the PUA by Section 62-3-3(G)(3), and by the Water Utilities regulations promulgated by 2 NMPUC Rule 710.4(u)(1) (Jan. 1, 1989). Though it is not specified in the PUA or the regulations, this exclusion probably includes irrigation districts governed by NMSA 1978, §§ 73-9-1 to -13-47 (Orig.Pamp. & Cum.Supp.1995). Cooperative associations. The Water Utilities regulations promulgated by 2 NMPUC Rule 710.4(u)(4) (Jan. 1, 1989), exclude cooperative associations organized under NMSA 1978, §§ 53-4-1 to -45 (Repl.Pamp.1983 & Cum.Supp.1995). Ditch and acequia districts. The Water Utilities regulations promulgated by 2 NMPUC Rule 710.4(u)(5) (Jan. 1, 1989), exclude from the PUA ditch and acequia districts governed under NMSA 1978, §§ 73-2-1 to -68 (Orig.Pamp. & Cum.Supp.1995). We have also, in the opinions of this Court, excluded from the definition of public utility parties that choose to serve select individuals and cannot legally be required to serve the public generally. Socorro Elec. Coop., Inc. v. Public Serv. Co., 66 N.M. 343, 348, 348 P.2d 88, 91 (1959) (quoting San Miguel Power Ass'n v. Pub. Serv. Comm'n, 4 Utah 2d 252, 292 P.2d 511, 512 (1956)); see also El Vadito, 115 N.M. at 790-91, 858 P.2d at 1269-70. Also excluded are the water providers mentioned above that have the power to elect to come within the terms of the PUA, but choose not to do so.