Hi Mesa 2022 Water Quality Report

A printable version of this report PDF is also available.

Welcome

RaindropsAt 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 2022, 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.

Contact Us

If you would like more information or have questions about your water service, please contact us:

Address: 31 Road 3900
Farmington, NM 87401
Phone: (505) 327-7700
Hours: Monday–Friday 8 a.m.–5 p.m.
(closed noon–1 p.m.)

Your Water System

Water treatment plantThe Hi Mesa system consists of one well, one disinfection system, one storage tank, two pressure facilities, and distribution lines. Water is treated and pumped to a 80,000-gallon storage tank, where it is distributed using three booster pumps.

Source Water Assessment and Protection

New Mexico Water Service is currently working with the New Mexico Environmental Department on developing a Source Water Protection Plan for the Hi Mesa Water System.

For Details on the Data in This Report

New Mexico Water Service
Attn: Martin Torrez
401 Horner Street
Rio Communities, NM 87002
(505) 744-5974
[email protected]

Possible Contaminants

Water pouring into glassAll 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, lake, 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 activities. Prior to entering the distribution system, source water with constituents over maximum contaminant levels is treated to reduce levels to meet standards set by public health experts.

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 compounds, 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.

Information Regarding Arsenic

While your drinking water meets EPA's standard for arsenic, it does contain low levels of arsenic. EPA's standard balances the current understanding of arsenic's possible health effects against the costs of removing arsenic from drinking water. EPA continues to research the health effects of low levels of arsenic, which is a mineral known to cause cancer in humans at high concentrations and is linked to other health effects such as skin damage and circulatory problems.

About Lead

Water stretching to the horizonAs 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 from our lead monitoring program, conducted in accordance with the Lead and Copper Rule, were non-detectable for the presence of lead.

PFAS

Water pitcher and glassesPer- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are manmade compounds that have been used to make carpets, clothing, fabrics for furniture, paper packaging for food, and other materials (e.g., cookware) that are resistant to water, grease, or stains. These compounds are also used for firefighting at airfields, which is one way they have found their way into groundwater in certain areas.

In March 2023, EPA issued a proposed national primary drinking water regulation for certain PFAS. The proposed regulation calls for a maximum containment level for PFOS and PFOA of 4 ppt each. Four additional PFAS—PFNA, PFHxS, PFBS, and GenX— would have a combined hazard index limit of 1.0; the hazard index calculation would determine if the levels of these PFAS as a mixture pose a potential risk.

Studies indicate that long-term exposure to PFAS over certain levels could have adverse health effects, including developmental effects to fetuses during pregnancy or infants; cancer; or impacts on liver, immunity, thyroid, and other functions. Potential health effects related to PFAS are still being studied, and research is still evolving on this issue.

While we are doing our part to treat the water and meet the standards public health experts have set, it's important that our population as a whole focuses on being good stewards of the environment and takes steps to prevent impacting the water supply.

Table Introduction

Laboratory equipmentNew 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 during the calendar year of this report unless otherwise noted.

See the Potential Contaminants web page for a complete list of contaminants we test for.

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.

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.

Key Definitions

Woman drinking waterAction 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.

Our testing equipment is so sensitive, it can detect constituents as small as 1 part per trillion. That is equivalent to 1 inch over 15 million miles.

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

2022 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 0.9 0.45 1.35 2022 ppm No Water additive used to control microbes
TTHMs (total trihalomethanes) NA 80 1.6 1.6 1.6 2021 ppb No By-product of drinking water chlorination
Haloacetic Acids (HAA5) NA 60 0.5 0.5 0.5 2021 ppb No By-product 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 0.5 0.5 0.5 2022 ppm No Runoff from fertilizer use; leaching from septic tanks, sewage; erosion of natural deposits
Fluoride 4 4 0.24 0.24 0.24 2019 ppm No Erosion of natural deposits; water additive which promotes strong teeth; discharge from fertilizer and aluminum factories
Barium 2 2 0.19 0.19 0.19 2019 ppm No Discharge of drilling wastes; discharge from metal refineries, erosion of natural deposits
Arsenic 0 10 1 1 1 2019 ppb No Erosion of natural deposits; runoff from orchards; runoff from glass and electronics production wastes
Sodium NA NA 30 30 30 2019 ppm No Erosion of natural deposits; leaching
Chromium 100 100 2 2 2 2019 ppb No Discharge from steel and pulp mills, erosion of natural deposits
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 2.1 2.1 2.1 2019 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 1.4 1.4 1.4 2019 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 0.6 0.6 2019 pCi/L No Erosion of natural deposits
Gross beta 0 50 2.6 2.6 2.6 2019 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 1 1 1 2019 µg/L No Erosion of natural deposits
Inorganic Contaminants MCLG AL 90th Percentile # Samples Exceeding AL Year Tested Unit Exceeds AL
Copper—action level at consumer taps 1.3 1.3 0.015 0 2022 ppm No Corrosion of household plumbing systems; erosion of natural deposits

Important Information About Your Drinking Water

Monitoring and Reporting Requirements Not Met for Hi Mesa Water System

Our water system recently violated a drinking water reporting requirement. Although this is not an emergency, as our customers, you have a right to know what happened and what we did to correct the situation.

We are required to monitor your drinking water for specific constituents on a regular basis. Results of regular monitoring are an indicator of whether or not our drinking water meets health standards. Additionally, we are required to submit monitoring data to the state for the various drinking water standards. The Hi Mesa water system is required to submit a report of the monthly disinfectant residuals on a quarterly basis to the New Mexico Environment Department's Drinking Water Bureau (NMED DWB).

The Hi Mesa water system did not report the disinfectant residual collected and tested from one sample in the distribution system during the 1st quarter of 2020 and the 4th quarter of 2021. As such, the water system did not meet the monitoring and reporting requirements for this drinking water regulation. This resulted in a violation.

What should you do?

There is nothing you need to do at this time. You may continue to drink the water. If a situation arises where the water is no longer safe to drink, you will be notified within 24 hours.

What happened? What is being done?

We apologize for the oversight in reporting the test results to the NMED DWB. Going forward, the Hi Mesa water system will submit a report of the precise disinfectant residuals to the NMED DWB by the specified date outlined in the drinking water regulations. To prevent this violation from occurring again, we are now requiring our contract operator to complete a Disinfection Monitoring Log each month. This log will document location, date, time, and free and total chlorine residual concentrations. The log can also be used as a backup document to verify that disinfection chlorine residuals are being tracked.

For more information, please contact:

Martin Torrez
(505) 744-5974
New Mexico Water Service
608 Butte Blvd
Elephant Butte, NM 87935

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 notice in a public place or distributing copies by hand or mail.

Thank you

Cat drinking water from faucetThanks 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.