RIO RANCHO, N.M. – On Monday, Rio Rancho elementary had to dismiss early because of a water line break. Folks living nearby also had to leave their homes because of a gas line rupture. 

Usually, it’s old infrastructure that causes these issues, but that’s not the case recently. 

“I was really shocked. My daughter called me and I had my alarm set, obviously, you know, to come get them at the right time. But she called me from work and told me that the kids were getting out early. And I was like, ‘Whoa, what’s going on?'” said Maddy Brady. 

A water line break in the neighborhood meant no water for the school and some nearby homes. At the same time, crews were also repairing a broken gas line.

“We got a doorbell and knock on our door, and we had a gentleman come and tell us that we needed to evacuate. They hit a gas line, and I noticed that our water was a little low before that,” said Many Reilly who had to evacuate.

Reilly says they weren’t allowed back in their home while crews worked on the breaks. 

Rio Rancho city officials say these recent breaks and others are caused by contractors installing fiber optic cable.

A spokesperson with New Mexico Gas Company says, so far this year, the company has responded to 52 reports of gas leaks or blowing lines, compared to just 13 in the same time last year. 

“Of the 52, 34 of them are attributable to the work that’s being performed by the fiber optic companies. Now, in about 10 of those cases, we determined that New Mexico Gas Company personnel had made a mistake with the markings. So we take ownership of that when it happens,” said Tim Korte, a New Mexico Gas Company communications manager. 

Brady says a crew hit another utility line in her area recently.

“Xfinity was working in my neighborhood, which is over there, off of Southern and Unser, and they ended up breaking an electric line. So then the electricity was out. So we had a whole day of no electricity,” said Brady. 

A spokesperson for the Rio Rancho mayor says they’re aware of the line breaks, and has already shared concerns to Comcast. They also said the city expects Comcast to improve its processes and limit negative impacts on the community. 

The city is exploring all of its options if the issues continue. 

“It is concerning that there’s so many of these types of incidents, because any of these events could have potentially become a public safety hazard,” said Korte. 

For neighbors, they’re waiting for it to be over. 

The City of Rio Rancho also sent KOB 4 a statement on the utility line breaks: 

“The City is aware of water and gas line breaks caused by contractors working for Xfinity/Comcast as they expand into Rio Rancho.  City officials have previously expressed concerns to Xfinity/Comcast representatives and their contractors about these issues.  The City expects Xfinity/Comcast to improve its processes and limit negative impacts on the community and public infrastructure.  The City is exploring all of its options if these issues continue to occur, including, but not limited to, monetary penalties and issuing stop work orders.” 

Reilly says a city worker came by their house Monday evening with a case of water and told them the water could be out for up to a day. 

Meanwhile, New Mexico Gas reps say anyone planning construction is supposed to call 811 three days before digging, so utility lines can be marked ahead of time. 

They claim lines have been marked for Comcast contractors. 

Julianne Phares, the director of external affairs for Comcast, issued this statement to KOB 4:

“Comcast is aware of the water main and gas related incident in Rio Rancho and we are working with the local entities to resolve this as safely and swiftly as possible.  We apologize for the inconvenience.”