Living in Velarde, NM: what to set up and who to call
The Velarde Mdwca water system reported 4 health-based violations to EPA in the last five years: a groundwater treatment requirement (Groundwater Rule) ×4. 78% of systems its size reported none. Velarde 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 Velarde, 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 Velarde.
Power comes from Jemez Mountains Elec Coop
Jemez Mountains Elec Coop (Jemez Mountains Elec Coop, Inc), a cooperative utility, serves all of Velarde. 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 Velarde Mdwca water system
The Velarde Mdwca water system supplies almost all of Velarde. It draws ground water and serves 543 people in all.
4 health-based violations reported to EPA in the five years to October 2026: a groundwater treatment requirement (Groundwater Rule) ×4, the latest beginning Dec 2024. 78% of the 5,327 systems serving 501–1,000 people had none.
The latest lead result on file, the 90th percentile of homes sampled in Jan 2016–Dec 2018, was 4.1 ppb, below the 15 ppb action level that applied. It’s from 2018: EPA has no newer result for this system.
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. NM3529421.
5 home internet providers serve Velarde
97% of 277 addresses can get 100/20 Mbps; 0% can get fiber.
| Provider | Technology | Addresses | Fastest (Mbps) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Valor Telecommunications of Texas | DSL | 91% | 200/20 |
| Stimulus Technologies | Fixed wireless | 100% | 40/20 |
| Ethos Broadband | Fixed wireless | 95% | 400/80 |
| NMSurf | Fixed wireless | 27% | 200/50 |
| T-Mobile | Fixed wireless | 11% | 25/3 |
FCC National Broadband Map, as of December 2025. Availability as providers report it, not speeds people get.
We don’t have Velarde’s trash rules yet
Pickup rules, the dump and recycling in Velarde.
Where your child goes to school
Public school districts and the school path by grade.
Velarde 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
Velarde is unincorporated, so Rio Arriba County is the local government.
Election office: FVAP local election office directory, updated Mar 2023; jurisdictions: EAC EAVS 2024. Registration rules and links: vote.gov, updated Aug 27, 2026.
Velarde is in ZIP code 87582
ZIP codes where Velarde residents live, with the share of the town in each.
| ZIP | Post office name | Share of Velarde | ZIP’s residents in Velarde |
|---|---|---|---|
| 87582 | Velarde, NM | 100% | 36% |
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 Velarde
Who supplies Velarde’s drinking water, and has it had violations?
The Velarde Mdwca water system (EPA ID NM3529421). It reported 4 health-based violations to EPA in the five years to October 2026: a groundwater treatment requirement (Groundwater Rule) ×4. 78% of systems its size had none. Its latest lead 90th percentile was 4.1 ppb (Jan 2016–Dec 2018), against a 15 ppb action level.
Who provides electricity in Velarde?
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 Velarde?
Valor Telecommunications of Texas, Stimulus Technologies, Ethos Broadband, NMSurf, T-Mobile (FCC, as of December 2025).
What ZIP codes are in Velarde?
87582. Census 2020 ZIP Code Tabulation Areas.
What school district is Velarde in?
Española Municipal Schools.
How do I register to vote in Velarde?
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.