Living in Rio Chiquito, NM: what to set up and who to call
The Rio Chiquito Mdwca water system reported 3 health-based violations to EPA in the last five years: a groundwater treatment requirement (Groundwater Rule) ×3. 77% of systems its size reported none. Rio Chiquito has no town government of its own, so Rio Arriba County runs its elections and most services, and its children attend Española Municipal Schools.
I’m new in town
What to set up in Rio Chiquito, 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 Rio Chiquito.
Power comes from Jemez Mountains Elec Coop
Jemez Mountains Elec Coop (Jemez Mountains Elec Coop, Inc), a cooperative utility, serves all of Rio Chiquito. Its homes paid an average of 15.8¢ per kWh in 2025, about $90 a month (its average across New Mexico).
Service territory: HIFLD Electric Retail Service Territories (map dated Aug 2023). Prices and customers: EIA-861, 2025.
Water comes from Rio Chiquito Mdwca water system
The Rio Chiquito Mdwca water system supplies Rio Chiquito: about 57% of residents live in its service area. Greater Chimayo Mdwca serves another 36%. About 10% of homes are outside any mapped community water system, most likely on private wells, which EPA doesn’t regulate. It draws ground water and serves 152 people in all.
3 health-based violations reported to EPA in the five years to October 2026: a groundwater treatment requirement (Groundwater Rule) ×3, the latest beginning Apr 2024. 77% of the 15,074 systems serving 101–500 people had none.
The latest lead result on file, the 90th percentile of homes sampled in Jan 2022–Dec 2024, was 0.0 ppb, below the 15 ppb action level that applied. Results below detection are reported as 0, so 0 doesn’t mean no lead at any tap.
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. NM3504926.
5 home internet providers serve Rio Chiquito
84% of 99 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 | 83% | 400/80 |
| NMSurf | Fixed wireless | 55% | 200/50 |
| Internet Services | Fixed wireless | 52% | 10/1 |
| T-Mobile | Fixed wireless | 3% | 100/20 |
FCC National Broadband Map, as of December 2025. Availability as providers report it, not speeds people get.
The nearest public drop-off is 4 miles away
Pickup rules, the dump and recycling in Rio Chiquito.
La Canada De Los Angeles Convenience Station
1365 NM 76, Cordova, NM, 87523
This isn’t Rio Chiquito’s own facility. Whether Rio Chiquito residents may use it is the town’s rule: check the town’s office.
OpenStreetMap, as of Oct 9, 2026. © OpenStreetMap contributors.
Where your child goes to school
Public school districts and the school path by grade.
Rio Chiquito is in Española Municipal 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.
No town hall: the county runs things
Rio Chiquito is unincorporated, so Rio Arriba County is the local government.
Election office: FVAP local election office directory, updated Dec 2025; jurisdictions: EAC EAVS 2024. Registration rules and links: vote.gov, updated Aug 27, 2026.
Rio Chiquito is in ZIP code 87522
ZIP codes where Rio Chiquito residents live, with the share of the town in each.
| ZIP | Post office name | Share of Rio Chiquito | ZIP’s residents in Rio Chiquito |
|---|---|---|---|
| 87522 | Chimayo, NM | 100% | 6% |
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.
ER: CMS hospital data. Library: IMLS Public Libraries Survey, FY2024.
Questions about living in Rio Chiquito
Who supplies Rio Chiquito’s drinking water, and has it had violations?
The Rio Chiquito Mdwca water system (EPA ID NM3504926). It reported 3 health-based violations to EPA in the five years to October 2026: a groundwater treatment requirement (Groundwater Rule) ×3. 77% of systems its size had none. Its latest lead 90th percentile was 0.0 ppb (Jan 2022–Dec 2024), against a 15 ppb action level.
Who provides electricity in Rio Chiquito?
Jemez Mountains Elec Coop (Jemez Mountains Elec Coop, Inc), a cooperative utility. Its homes paid about 15.8¢ per kWh in 2025 (EIA).
What internet providers serve Rio Chiquito?
Valor Telecommunications of Texas, Ethos Broadband, NMSurf, Internet Services, T-Mobile (FCC, as of December 2025).
What ZIP codes are in Rio Chiquito?
87522. Census 2020 ZIP Code Tabulation Areas.
What school district is Rio Chiquito in?
Española Municipal Schools.
How do I register to vote in Rio Chiquito?
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 Santa Fe 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.