Exhibit 10.10A
                               FIRST AMENDMENT TO
                                 LOAN AGREEMENT


     This Amendment made this 10th day of October, 1995 by and between Sunwest
Bank of Albuquerque, National Association, a national banking association
("Bank") and New Mexico Utilities, Inc., corporation ("Borrower").

     WHEREAS, on January 25, 1995 Bank and Borrower entered into a certain
Business Loan Agreement ("Agreement") pursuant to the terms and conditions of
which credit has been extended by Bank to Borrower;

     WHEREAS, Borrower and Lender and desirous of amending the Agreement upon
the following terms and conditions.

     FOR VALUABLE CONSIDERATION, the receipt and sufficiency of which is hereby
acknowledged by the undersigned, Bank and Borrower agree as follows:

     1.  Paragraph 2 (a) i shall be deleted in its entirety and the following
     substituted there:

         i.  The per annum interest on the outstanding principal balance (the
     "Interest Rate") shall be at a rate equal to the Chase Manhattan Bank Prime
     Rate established form time to time by the Bank; the Interest Rate shall be
     adjusted coincident with any change in the rate and applied prospectively,

     2.  Except as expressly amended hereby, the terms and conditions of the
     Agreement and the documents executed and delivered in conjunction with the
     credit extended thereunder shall remain in full force and effect and are
     hereby ratified:

 
BORROWER:                    New Mexico Utilities, Inc.
                             a New Mexico corporation



                             BY: /s/ ROBERT L. SWARTWOUT
                                 -----------------------
                                 Robert L. Swartwout, President



                             BY: /s/ WILLIAM C. JASURA
                                 ----------------------
                                 William C. Jasura, Vice President
                                 and Chief Financial Officer


GRANTOR:                     Southwest Water Company, a
                             Delaware corporation



                             BY: /s/ PETER J. MOERBEEK
                                 ---------------------
                                 Peter J. Moerbeek, V.P. Finance
                                 and Chief Financial Officer


BANK:                        Sunwest Bank of Albuquerque,
                             N.A., a national association



                             BY: /s/ DON K. PADGETT
                                 ------------------
                                 Don K. Padgett, Vice President