Indian Hills District 2020 Water Quality Report

Welcome

Hand washingAt New Mexico Water, our goal is to deliver safe, high-quality drinking water, 24 hours per day, seven days per week, 365 days per year. As part of that effort, we produce this annual water quality report, which includes information about where your water comes from, what it contains, and how it compares to state and federal standards. Most importantly, it confirms that in 2020, our water met or surpassed all standards set by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and New Mexico Environment Department to protect public health.

Note: Due to an inadvertent oversight on our part relating to the operation of a new well, Indian Hills customers may have been temporarily exposed to exceedance in combined radium levels and alpha emitters between March 9, 2019 and April 23, 2019.

Your Water System

Water pipesThe water supply for the Indian Hills water system is pumped from three wells drilled into the Estancia Water Basin. Water is pumped from the aquifer and stored in one 60,000-gallon steel reservoir and a four 10,000-gallon HDPE tanks, providing a total of 83,000 gallons of storage. In 2020, we also purchased water from Entranosa Water to help meet demand. Entranosa Water's supply comes from seven ground water wells.

Source Water Assessment and Protection

The Indian Hills water system is well maintained and operated, and generally protected from potential sources of contamination based on well construction, hydrogeologic settings, and system operations and management. However, the susceptibility of the system is classified as “high,” due to the potential contamination from septic systems and nearby roadways. No associated contaminants have been detected from these potential sources. Please contact New Mexico Water to discuss the finding for the Source Water Assessment and Protection Plan (SWAPP) report.

Contact Us

If you would like more information on the Indian Hills water system or have questions about your water service, please contact your local New Mexico Water Service Customer Center:

Address: 401 Horner Street
Rio Communities, NM 87002
Phone: (505) 864-2218
Hours: Monday–Friday 8 a.m.–5 p.m.
(closed noon–1 p.m.)

For Details on the Data in This Report

New Mexico Water Service
Indian Hills Water System
Attn: Staci Avendano
401 Horner Street
Rio Communities, NM 87002
(505) 864-2218 ext. 72230
Fax: (505) 864-8438
[email protected]

Key Definitions

Action Level (AL): The concentration of a contaminant which, if exceeded, triggers treatment or other required action by the water provider.

Maximum Contaminant Level Goal (MCLG): The level of a contaminant in drinking water below which there is no known or expected risk to health. MCLGs allow for a margin of safety.

Maximum Contaminant Level (MCL): The highest level of a contaminant that is allowed in drinking water. MCLs are set as close to the MCLGs as feasible using the best available treatment technology.

Maximum Residual Disinfectant Level Goal (MRDLG): The level of a drinking water disinfectant below which there is no known or expected risk to health. MRDLGs do not reflect the benefits of the use of disinfectants to control microbial contaminants.

Maximum Residual Disinfectant Level (MRDL): The highest level of a disinfectant allowed in drinking water. There is significant evidence that the addition of a disinfectant is necessary for control of microbial contaminants.

Treatment technique (TT): A required process intended to reduce the level of a contaminant in drinking water.

Do I Need to Take Special Precautions?

Some people may be more vulnerable to contaminants in drinking water than the general population. Immunocompromised people, such as those with cancer undergoing chemotherapy, those who have undergone organ transplants, and those with HIV/AIDS or other immune system disorders; some elderly people; and infants, can be particularly at risk from infections. These people should seek advice from their health care providers about drinking water. EPA/Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) guidelines on appropriate means to lessen the risk of infection by cryptosporidium and other microbial contaminants are available from the Safe Drinking Water Hotline at (800) 426-4791.

Possible Contaminants

Microscope slide and drop of waterAll drinking water, including bottled water, may reasonably be expected to contain at least small amounts of some contaminants. The presence of contaminants does not necessarily indicate that water poses a health risk.

More information about contaminants and potential health effects can be obtained by calling the EPA Safe Drinking Water Hotline at (800) 426-4791.

The sources of drinking water (both tap and bottled) include rivers, lakes, streams, ponds, reservoirs, springs, and wells. As water travels over the surface of the land or through the ground, it dissolves naturally occurring minerals and, in some cases, radioactive material, and can pick up substances resulting from the presence of animals or human activity.

Contaminants that may be present in source water include:

Microbial contaminants, such as viruses and bacteria, which may come from sewage treatment plants, septic systems, agricultural livestock operations, and wildlife.

Inorganic contaminants, such as salts and metals, which can be naturally occurring or result from urban stormwater runoff, industrial or domestic wastewater discharges, oil and gas production, mining, or farming.

Pesticides and herbicides, which may come from a variety of sources such as agriculture, urban stormwater runoff, and residential uses.

Organic chemical contaminants, including synthetic and volatile organic chemicals, which are byproducts of industrial processes and petroleum production, and can also come from gas stations, urban stormwater runoff, agricultural applications, and septic systems.

Radioactive contaminants, which can be naturally occurring or the result of oil and gas production and mining activities.

In order to ensure that tap water is safe to drink, the EPA prescribes regulations that limit the amount of certain contaminants in water provided by public water systems. Food and Drug Administration regulations also establish limits for contaminants in bottled water, which must provide the same protection for public health.

About Lead

MoleculesAs the issue of lead in water continues to be top of mind for many Americans, New Mexico Water wants to assure you about the quality of your water.

None of these conditions exist at New Mexico Water. We have worked proactively to eliminate lead-bearing materials from our water systems, and we are compliant with health and safety codes mandating the installation of lead-free materials in public water systems. We test our water sources to ensure that the water we deliver to customers' meters meets water quality standards and is not corrosive toward plumbing materials. The water we deliver may meet lead standards, but what about your home plumbing? Because lead in drinking water comes primarily from materials and components associated with service lines and home plumbing, the Lead and Copper Rule is a critical part of our water quality monitoring program.

The Lead and Copper Rule requires us to test water inside a representative number of homes with plumbing most likely to contain lead and/or lead solder (those built before 1986). This test, with other water quality testing, tells us if the water is corrosive enough to cause lead from home plumbing to leach into the water. If the “Action Level” for lead is exceeded, we work with our customers to investigate the issue and, if necessary, implement corrosion control before the lead levels create a health issue.

Elevated levels of lead, if present, can cause serious health problems, especially for pregnant women and children. If your home's plumbing contains lead piping or pipe fittings, lead solder, or brass fixtures that may contain lead, you can minimize the potential for lead exposure by flushing your tap for 30 seconds to two minutes before using water for drinking or cooking.

If you are concerned about lead in your water, you may wish to have your water tested by a certified lab. Information on lead in drinking water, testing methods, and steps you can take to minimize exposure is available from the Safe Drinking Water Hotline or at www.epa.gov/safewater/lead.

In your system, results of our lead monitoring program, conducted in accordance with the Lead and Copper Rule, were 2.6 parts per billion. The EPA's Action Level for lead is 15 parts per billion.

Table Introduction

Water dropsNew Mexico Water tests your water for more than 140 regulated contaminants and dozens of unregulated contaminants. This table lists only primary contaminants that were detected.

This table lists all of the drinking water contaminants that were detected during the calendar year of this report (unless otherwise noted). The EPA and state of New Mexico require us to monitor for certain contaminants less than once per year because concentrations of these contaminants do not change rapidly.

Table Key
NA Not applicable
pCi/L picoCuries per liter (measure of radioactivity)
ppb parts per billion (micrograms per liter)
ppm parts per million (milligrams per liter)
µg/L Number of micrograms of substance in one liter of water

2020 Water Quality

Disinfectants &
Disinfectant Byproducts
MCLG or MRDLG MCL, TT, or MRDL Your Water Range Year Tested Unit Violation Typical Source
Low High
Chlorine (as CL2) 4 4 1.65 0.27 1.65 2020 ppm no Water additive used to control microbes
TTHMs (total trihalomethanes) NA 80 0.981 NA 0.981 2020 ppb no Byproduct of drinking water chlorination
Haloacetic acids (HAA5) NA 60 1.53 NA 1.53 2020 ppb no Byproduct of drinking water chlorination
Inorganic Contaminants MCLG or MRDLG MCL, TT, or MRDL Your Water Range Year Tested Unit Violation Typical Source
Low High
Nitrate (measured as nitrogen) 10 10 1.92 1.06 1.92 2020 ppm no Runoff from fertilizer use; leaching from septic tanks, sewage; erosion of natural deposits
Fluoride 4 4 0.65 NA 0.65 2020 ppm no Erosion of natural deposits; water additive which promotes strong teeth; discharge from fertilizer and aluminum factories
Sodium NA NA 110 NA 110 2018 ppm no Erosion of natural deposits; leaching
Barium 2 2 0.066 NA 0.066 2020 ppm no Discharge of drilling wastes; discharge from metal refineries, erosion of natural deposits
Arsenic 0 10 3 3 3 2020 ppb no Erosion of natural deposits; runoff from orchards; runoff from glass and electronics production wastes
Chromium 100 100 0 0 0 2020 ppb no Discharge from steel and pulp mills, erosion of natural deposits
Nickel 0.1 0.1 0 0 0 2020 ppm no Leaching from metals in contact with drinking water, such as pipes and fittings
Radioactive Contaminants MCLG or MRDLG MCL, TT, or MRDL Your Water Range Year Tested Unit Violation Typical Source
Low High
Gross alpha including
radon and uranium
0 15 4 NA 4 2015 pCi/L no Erosion of natural deposits of certain minerals that are radioactive and may emit a form of radiation known as alpha radiation
Gross alpha excluding
radon and uranium
0 15 1.3 0.5 1.3 2015 pCi/L no Erosion of natural deposits of certain minerals that are radioactive and may emit a form of radiation known as alpha radiation
Combined radium 226/228 0 5 0.6 0.5 0.6 2015 pCi/L no Erosion of natural deposits
Gross beta 0 50 5.1 3.9 5.1 2015 pCi/L no Decay of natural and manmade deposits. The EPA considers 50 pCi/L to be the level of concern for beta particles.
Uranium 0 30 4 NA 4 2015 µg/L no Erosion of natural deposits
Inorganic Contaminants MCLG AL Your Water Samples > AL Year Tested Unit Exceeds AL Typical Source
Lead—action level at consumer taps 0 15 2.6 0 2018 ppb no Corrosion of household plumbing systems; erosion of natural deposits
Copper—action level at consumer taps 1.3 1.3 0.37 0 2018 ppm no Corrosion of household plumbing systems; erosion of natural deposits

New Well—Online March 9, 2019–April 23, 2019

Radioactive Contaminants MCLG or MRDLG MCL, TT, or MRDL Your Water Range Year Tested Unit Violation Typical Source
Low High
Gross alpha1 0 15 44.00 NA 44.00 2018 pCi/L No Erosion of natural deposits of certain minerals that are radioactive and may emit a form of radiation known as alpha radiation
Combined radium 226/2281 0 5 20.84 NA 20.84 2018 pCi/L No Erosion of natural deposits
Uranium 0 30 4.63 NA 4.63 2018 µg/L No Erosion of natural deposits
Secondary Contaminants MCLG SMCL Your Water Range Year Tested Unit Violation Typical Source
Low High
Total dissolved solids2 N/A 500 1780 NA 1780 2018 ppm No Hardness; deposits; colored water; staining; salty taste
Iron3 N/A 0.3 1.5 NA 1.5 2018 ppm No Rusty color; sediment; metallic taste; reddish or orange staining
Manganese2 N/A 0.05 0.13 NA 0.13 2018 ppm No Black to brown color; black staining;bitter metallic taste

1 Due to an inadvertent oversight in the water quality sampling of the new well, Indian Hills customers may have been temporarily exposed to exceedances in combined radium levels and alpha emitters between March 9, 2019 and April 23, 2019. This is not an emergency and requires no action on your part; however, we want you to be aware of both what occurred and how it was resolved.

2 Total dissolved solids may have been temporarily present at levels that exceed the SMCL of 500 mg/L between March 9, 2019 and April 23, 2019. The Total Dissolved Solids SMCL was set to protect you against unpleasant aesthetic effects, such as hardness, deposits, colored water, staining, and salty taste. Exceeding the SMCLs does not pose a health risk.

3 Iron and manganese may have been temporarily present at levels that exceed the SMCLs of 0.3 and 0.05 mg/L, respectively, between March 9, 2019 and April 23, 2019. The iron and manganese SMCLs were set to protect you against unpleasant aesthetic effects, such as color, taste, odor, and the staining of plumbing fixtures and clothing when washed. Exceeding these SMCLs do not pose a health risk.

2020 Monitoring Data Results

Substance or Contaminant Collection Year Highest Detected Range of Levels MCLG MCL Units Violation Source
Coliform bacteria Monthly 0 0 0 0 0 No Naturally present
Chlorine Monthly 1.07 .57–1.07 0 .50 ppm No Water additive used to control microbes
Haloacidic acids (HAA5) 2020 1.4 .081–1.4 No Goal 50 ppb No By-product of drinking water disinfection
Trihalomethene (TTHMs) 2020 2.2 0.50–2.2 0 .50 ug/L No By-product of drinking water disinfection
Arsenic 2020 2 2–2 0 10 ppb No Erosion of natural deposits
Barium 2020 0.12 0.12–0.12 2 2 ppm No Erosion of natural deposits
Fluoride 2020 .58 0.58–0.58 4 4 ppm No Erosion of natural deposits
Beta/photon emitter 2020 3.5 0–3.5 0 4 MREM/YR No Decay of natural and manmade deposits
Combined radium 226/228 2020 0.10 0–0.10 0 5 pCi/l No Erosion of natural deposits
Gross alpha excluding
radon & uranium
2020 1.4 0–1.4 0 15 pCO/L No Erosion of natural deposits
Uranium 2020 4 0–4 0 10 ug/L No Erosion of natural deposits
Substance Collection Date MCLG AL 90th Percentile Sites > 90th Percentile Units Violation Likely Source of Contaminant
Lead 2008 0 0015 0.010 0 ppm No Corrosion of household plumbing
Copper 2008 0 1.3 0.48 0 ppm No Corrosion of household plumbing

Important Information About Your Drinking Water

As you may know, New Mexico Water recently constructed a new water supply well in our Indian Hills system because water from the existing wells was not enough to meet local customers' needs. Due to an inadvertent oversight in the water quality sampling of the new well, Indian Hills customers may have been temporarily exposed to exceedances in combined radium levels and alpha emitters between March 9, 2019 and April 23, 2019. This is not an emergency and requires no action on your part; however, we want you to be aware of both what occurred and how it was resolved.

What happened?

From March 9, 2019 to April 23, 2019, water from the new Indian Hills well was blended with water from another well. The blending of supply was necessary to provide drinking water during a period where there was insufficient water from existing water supply wells to serve Indian Hills customers. The new water supply well was not used to supply customers prior to March 9, 2019 or after April 23, 2019. There were no exceedances in the existing water supply wells with which the new well water was blended. The maximum contaminant level (MCL) exceedances were found as New Mexico Water prepared to bring the new well fully online this summer. In the course of our preparation, New Mexico Water reviewed the water quality reports submitted to the New Mexico Environment Department (NMED) in connection with the new well and discovered exceedances in combined radium and alpha emitters. Immediately upon discovery of these exceedances, we conducted additional water quality testing of the new well and confirmed the MCL exceedances. Those temporarily exposed to the exceedances were limited to customers receiving water from New Mexico Water in Indian Hills between March 9, 2019 and April 23, 2019. This letter is being sent after notifying the New Mexico Environment Department — Drinking Water Bureau and the New Mexico Public Regulation Commission.

What should you do?

There is nothing that you need to do at this time. You do not need to boil your water or take other actions. This is not, and was not, an emergency. If it had been, you would have been notified immediately.

Potential health effects due to exceedances in combined radium and alpha emitters are limited to chronic or sustained, long-term exposure and are provided below:

  • Alpha Emitters: Certain minerals are radioactive and may emit a form of radiation known as alpha radiation. Some people who drink water containing alpha emitters in excess of the MCL over many years may have an increased risk of getting cancer.
  • Combined radium (226 & 228): Some people who drink water containing radium 226 or 228 in excess of the MCL over many years may have an increased risk of getting cancer.

What is being done?

New Mexico Water will not reconnect the new Indian Hills water supply well to the distribution system until the issue related to the MCL exceedances is fully resolved. We are undertaking a full evaluation and further water quality analysis, including consulting with water quality experts from California Water Service, our affiliate. Because the new Indian Hills water supply well is not connected to the distribution system, the water system is currently in compliance with NMED requirements. We will continue to adhere to all applicable regulations regarding notice to our customers regarding any exceedances.

For more information:

Please contact our local New Mexico Water Customer Center at (505) 864-2218 or [email protected]. Please share this information with other people who drink this water, especially those who may not have received this notice directly.

This notice is being sent to you by New Mexico Water Service.
State Water System ID#: 35-469-30.
Date distributed: July 31, 2019

Thank you.

FirefightersThanks for taking the time to learn more about your water quality! Even more information awaits you at www.newmexicowater.com. Visit our web site to get information about your account, water rates, and water system. And, as always, you can reach us by phone or at our Customer Center.