Foster Hotel · Photo: MRobison · CC BY-SA 3.0Living in Chama, NM: what to set up and who to call
Chama Water System reported 7 health-based violations to EPA in the last five years: a surface water treatment requirement (Interim Enhanced Surface Water Treatment Rule) ×7. 78% of systems its size reported none. Power in Chama comes from Northern Rio Arriba E Coop, a cooperative utility rather than a private company.
I’m new in town
What to set up in Chama, and who provides it. Tap an answer for the details and where they come from.
Power, water and internet
Who to call to start service at a new address in Chama.
Power comes from Northern Rio Arriba E Coop
Northern Rio Arriba E Coop (Northern Rio Arriba E Coop Inc), a cooperative utility, serves all of Chama.
Service territory: HIFLD Electric Retail Service Territories (map dated Aug 2023). Prices and customers: EIA-861, 2025.
Water comes from Chama Water System
Chama Water System supplies almost all of Chama. It draws surface water and serves 1,573 people in all.
7 health-based violations reported to EPA in the five years to October 2026: a surface water treatment requirement (Interim Enhanced Surface Water Treatment Rule) ×7, the latest beginning Jun 2023. 78% of the 7,966 systems serving 1,001–3,300 people had none.
The latest lead result on file, the 90th percentile of homes sampled in Jan–Jun 2026, was 9.1 ppb, below the 15 ppb action level that applied. That’s higher than 98% of similar systems’ latest results.
The system’s full record: EPA ECHO report
EPA SDWIS via Envirofacts (violations pulled Oct 9, 2026) and ECHO (lead samples, 2026Q3); service area: EPA Community Water System Service Area Boundaries v3.0. Violations are counted by the start of their compliance period. NM3501021.
2 home internet providers serve Chama
84% of 659 addresses can get 100/20 Mbps; 0% can get fiber.
| Provider | Technology | Addresses | Fastest (Mbps) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Valor Telecommunications of Texas | DSL | 83% | 200/20 |
| Ethos Broadband | Fixed wireless | 80% | 400/80 |
FCC National Broadband Map, as of December 2025. Availability as providers report it, not speeds people get.
We don’t have Chama’s trash rules yet
Pickup rules, the dump and recycling in Chama.
Where your child goes to school
Public school districts and the school path by grade.
Chama is in Chama Valley Independent Schools.
Test scores and every school: see Schools →U.S. Department of Education, NCES Common Core of Data, 2024–25. Enrollment rules and registration are the district’s.
Town hall and registering to vote
Who to call, and how to register.
Election office: FVAP local election office directory, updated Mar 2023; jurisdictions: EAC EAVS 2024. Registration rules and links: vote.gov, updated Aug 27, 2026.
Chama is in ZIP code 87520
ZIP codes where Chama residents live, with the share of the town in each.
| ZIP | Post office name | Share of Chama | ZIP’s residents in Chama |
|---|---|---|---|
| 87520 | Chama, NM | 100% | 63% |
Census 2020 ZIP Code Tabulation Areas, by census block; post office names: GeoNames (CC BY 4.0). ZIPs created since 2020 are missing.
Getting around, the ER and the library
One line each; the subject pages have the rest.
Train: OpenStreetMap (© OpenStreetMap contributors). ER: CMS hospital data. Library: IMLS Public Libraries Survey, FY2024.
Questions about living in Chama
Who supplies Chama’s drinking water, and has it had violations?
Chama Water System (EPA ID NM3501021). It reported 7 health-based violations to EPA in the five years to October 2026: a surface water treatment requirement (Interim Enhanced Surface Water Treatment Rule) ×7. 78% of systems its size had none. Its latest lead 90th percentile was 9.1 ppb (Jan–Jun 2026), against a 15 ppb action level.
Who provides electricity in Chama?
Northern Rio Arriba E Coop (Northern Rio Arriba E Coop Inc), a cooperative utility.
What internet providers serve Chama?
Valor Telecommunications of Texas, Ethos Broadband (FCC, as of December 2025).
What ZIP codes are in Chama?
87520. Census 2020 ZIP Code Tabulation Areas.
What school district is Chama in?
Chama Valley Independent Schools.
How do I register to vote in Chama?
In New Mexico you can register online until 28 days before Election Day, in person up to and including Election Day, or by mail (postmarked 28 days before). Elections here are run by the Rio Arriba County Clerk. Check your registration at voterportal.servis.sos.state.nm.us.
Sources & dates
Every answer above names its source. Here they are with their dates.
- Water: EPA SDWIS (Envirofacts, pulled Oct 9, 2026), ECHO SDWA 2026Q3, EPA CWS Service Area Boundaries v3.0.
- Power: HIFLD Electric Retail Service Territories (map Aug 2023); EIA-861 final 2025.
- Trash: OpenStreetMap, Geofabrik extract of Oct 9, 2026. © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL).
- ZIP codes: Census 2020 ZCTA relationship files; GeoNames postal codes (CC BY 4.0).
- Schools: NCES Common Core of Data, 2024–25.
- Registration: vote.gov, updated Aug 27, 2026 (read Oct 10, 2026). Official sites and area codes: Wikidata.
- Election office: FVAP local election office directory (fetched Oct 10, 2026; each record dated), EAC EAVS 2024 jurisdictions; registration and lookup links from vote.gov’s state data, checked Oct 10, 2026.
- Internet: FCC National Broadband Map, as of December 2025.