Ongoing Lead Service Line Inventory

* Our contractor is currently conducting a representative physical service line inventory in all of our water systems. *

Annual Notification: Important Information for New Mexico Water Customers with Structures Built Prior to 1988 Regarding Water Service Lines
Este informe contiene información muy importante sobre su agua potable. Tradúzcalo o hable con alguien que lo entienda bien.

In accordance with U.S. Environmental Protection Agency regulations to identify and eliminate lead service lines nationwide, New Mexico Water has classified customers’ water service lines as “lead status unknown” if their structure was built before 1988 in our initial inventory (phase 1). We will identify the material of these lines in phase 2 and replace our portion of any lines found to contain lead or galvanized material that require replacement. Any affected customers should also replace their portion of the service line.

In 2024, we completed an initial inventory of all water service lines, which is the pipe that connects your home/building to the water main, in our districts. The purpose of the inventory is to identify the material of these service lines and fittings, including the customer-owned side of the water service line—the portion from the water meter to your structure. Lead service lines or certain galvanized pipe can potentially place people at risk for exposure to lead. This annual notification contains the same information that we sent to you last year.

Protecting our customers’ health and safety is our highest priority. We already routinely monitor for lead in representative customer homes. The most recent water quality test results for lead complied with the federal and state regulatory standard. As background, the standard for lead in drinking water is 15 micrograms per liter (µg/L).

What does this mean for me?

• This is not an emergency.
• Your water is safe to drink and meets federal and state safe drinking water standards.
• You do not need to use an alternative water supply (e.g., bottled water).

What about my service line?

• If your service line is categorized as a “lead status unknown” composition, you can help us identify your service line material.
  • EPA has developed an online step-by-step guide to help people identify lead pipes in their homes called Protect Your Tap: A Quick Check for Lead
  • Other organizations, such as the LSLR Collaborative, have also provided tools to identify service line material: www.lslr-collaborative.org/identifying-service-line-material.html
• Inform us immediately if you plan to alter or replace your service line sooner, because we may also be required to replace the system portion at the same time.
• Please contact us at (505) 864-2218 or through the Contact Us form to share any information you may find about your service line, or to inform us of your plans to alter or replace your line.

What happens next?

• We are in the process of conducting a representative physical service line inventory in your water system to identify the material of unknown service lines. This is expected to be completed within five years.
• If we find lead or galvanized lines that require replacement, we will inform affected customers as quickly as possible. We will replace our portion of the service line (from the water main in the street to the meter) within the 10-year compliance timeframe. We also encourage affected customers to replace their portion of the service line (from the meter to your home/building).

Lead-Related Health Information

• Exposure to lead in drinking water can cause serious health effects in all age groups. Infants and children can have decreases in IQ and attention span. Lead exposure can cause new learning and behavior problems or exacerbate existing learning and behavior problems. The children of women who are exposed to lead before or during pregnancy can have increased risk of these adverse health effects. Adults can have increased risks of heart disease, high blood pressure, kidney or nervous system problems.
• If you have concerns about your water quality, the New Mexico Environment Department has a list of laboratories that can test your water at the consumer’s expense (click on Certified Laboratories List).
• If you still have health concerns from potential lead exposure in your drinking water, there are point-of-use (POU) devices that can be used on your drinking water taps to provide an additional barrier of protection. For more information on facts and advice on home water filtration systems, visit www.epa.gov/water-research/consumer-tool-identifying-point-use-and-pitcher-filters-certified-reduce-lead.
• If you have other health issues concerning the consumption of this water, you may wish to consult your health care provider.

Please share this information with all the other people who drink this water, especially those who may not have received this notice directly (for example, people in apartments, nursing homes, schools, and businesses). You can do this by posting this in a public place or distributing copies by hand or mail.