LAS CRUCES, N.M. -- Some Dona Ana residents are concerned that a new wastewater treatment plant means the area will constantly smell. Protest signs went up Sunday and more are expected.

Protesters put up 100 on Sunday and will "probably be putting up more later,” said Terry Kasparek of North Las Cruces. The Dona Ana Mutual Domestic Water Consumers Association has plans to put a regional waste water treatment center off of Thorp Road, north of Las Cruces.

“The biggest part of it is getting contamination out of our ground water,” said Mariano Martinez, general manager of the association. “Our goal is to protect the aquifers. That is our main goal.”

However, most residents in the area oppose the facility and fear that the plant will produce an ongoing smell. So now they're putting up a stink.

“No matter what anybody tells you, or how (advanced) the technology they tell you, it's going to create an odor issue,” said Talea Alberson of North Las Cruces.

Some residents compare the facility to current operations in the city, such as the one off of Motel Boulevard.

“It stinks and it stinks bad,” said Kasparek. Martinez said that is an unfair assessment.

“The technology has gotten a lot better as far as controlling the smell and that’s the best thing we have and we are going to control the odors and it should not smell,” said Martinez.

Residents said the potential smell is not the only problem. They also want to preserve the area's natural beauty.

“There's a lot of people that like to go bird watching, people that like to go horseback riding, people that like to walk their dogs out there,” said Kasparek.

“It's going to ruin the whole rural atmosphere that we have out here,” said Alberson.

Martinez said while he can understand residents concerns, they just need to trust the association.

“I think that people need to give it a shot, we've done some extensive research on it, really done our homework,” said Martinez.