Nineteen water system operators, board members and community leaders from six northern New Mexico communities graduated Tuesday from the Cuba Water Leadership Institute, a program designed to strengthen regional collaboration on water management in rural areas.
The graduation ceremony at the Sandoval County Fairgrounds Community Center capped a three-month training series focused on implementing the 2023 Water Security Planning Act, with emphasis on regionalization of water services in rural districts.
Guest speakers at the Nov. 18 ceremony included Col. Donnie Quintana (U.S. Army ret.) of the New Mexico Finance Authority, Jody Garcia, a professional engineer with Community Water Engineering LLC, Dan Heerding of Sandoval County Emergency Management, and Aaron Delgado, a technical assistance provider with RCAC.
Graduates represented the communities of Cuba, La Jara, Regina, Lindrith, San Luis/Cabezon and Capulin. Participants included water system operators, board members, office managers, project managers, community volunteers, civic leaders and municipal administrators.
The Water Leadership Institute brought together community members and local leaders to develop critical skills in communication, outreach and individual leadership through interactive sessions and peer networking, according to program organizers.
Participants learned to advocate for their communities’ water interests, connect with neighboring systems, and engage in dialogue around local water issues while building trust for long-term collaboration.