A polling company hired by Santa Fe County has completed a survey of nonpueblo residents in the Pojoaque Valley about the Aamodt water-rights settlement and a controversial community water system.

The county paid Research and Polling, Inc. $16,000 to conduct the phone survey. The survey of 339 Pojoaque Valley residents took place last week and was completed Sunday night, according to Brian Sanderoff, the company's president. The survey results, with a sampling error of plus or minus 5 percent, are due to the county in mid-September, Sanderoff said.

The survey "was conducted to help county officials better understand the views and feelings of area residents on this complicated subject," according to a statement released by the county.

The Aamodt settlement is an agreement between four pueblos, Santa Fe County, and the state over water rights in the Pojoaque Valley. A part of the settlement calls for a community water system to serve residents in the valley. Those who decide to hook into the proposed system agree to cap their private wells. Last year, more than a dozen well owners contacted by The New Mexican said they opposed the water system and thought it was a waste of money. A few others said they thought the water system was necessary.

Those surveyed were asked 18 questions, among them how they felt about the Aamodt settlement and the community water system and why.