We read 13 results from University of New Mexico’s 2024 water quality report. No results over a legal limit; 6 above a health goal or guideline.
Serves about 35,000 people · Water system ID NM3575501 · Read the district’s 2024 report (opens in a new tab)
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Results from the 2024 report
Each number is copied from the district’s report and links to the page it’s printed on. Where the report lists several plants, wells or purchased water, the highest is shown.
| Contaminant | Result | Health goal | Legal limit | What it means |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Arsenichighest measured · listed as a violation in the report · sampled 2023 · Wells · 2024 report, page 9 | 5 ppb | 0.004 ppb | 10 ppb | Above the health goal1,250x the health goal |
| Gross alpha (radioactivity)highest measured · listed as a violation in the report · sampled 2023 · Wells · 2024 report, page 13 | 1.3 pCi/L | 0 pCi/L | 15 pCi/L | Above the health goalThe health goal is zero |
| Gross beta (radioactivity)highest measured · listed as a violation in the report · sampled 2023 · Wells · 2024 report, page 12 | 5.1 pCi/L | 0 pCi/L | 50 pCi/L | Above the health goalThe health goal is zero |
| Lead90th percentile of homes tested, 0 over the action level · listed as a violation in the report · sampled 2021 · Customer taps · 2024 report, page 11 | 2.9 ppb | 0.2 ppb | 15 ppb (action level) | Above the health goal14x the health goal |
| Radium (combined 226 + 228)highest measured · listed as a violation in the report · sampled 2023 · Wells · 2024 report, page 12 | 0.04 pCi/L | 0 pCi/L | 5 pCi/L | Above the health goalThe health goal is zero |
| Uraniumhighest measured · listed as a violation in the report · sampled 2023 · Wells · 2024 report, page 13 | 3 ppb | 0.6 ppb | 30 ppb | Above the health goal5x the health goal |
| Bariumhighest measured · listed as a violation in the report · sampled 2023 · Wells · 2024 report, page 9 | 0.09 ppm | 2 ppm | 2 ppm | Below the health goal |
| Chlorinehighest measured · range 0.4 to 0.5 · listed as a violation in the report · Distribution system · 2024 report, page 10 | 0.5 ppm | None set | 4 ppm | Below the legal limit |
| Copper90th percentile of homes tested, 0 over the action level · listed as a violation in the report · sampled 2021 · Customer taps · 2024 report, page 11 | 0.12 ppm | 0.3 ppm | 1.3 ppm (action level) | Below the health goal |
| Disinfection byproducts (HAA5)highest measured · range 1.3 to 3.2 · listed as a violation in the report · sampled 2021 · Distribution system · 2024 report, page 10 | 3.2 ppb | None set | 60 ppb | Below the legal limit |
| Disinfection byproducts (TTHM)highest measured · range 2.5 to 14 · listed as a violation in the report · sampled 2021 · Distribution system · 2024 report, page 10 | 14 ppb | None set | 80 ppb | Below the legal limit |
| Fluoridehighest measured · listed as a violation in the report · sampled 2023 · Wells · 2024 report, page 9 | 0.46 ppm | 1 ppm | 4 ppm | Below the health goal |
| Nitrate (as N)highest measured · listed as a violation in the report · Wells · 2024 report, page 9 | 0.18 ppm | 10 ppm | 10 ppm | Below the health goal |
Utility results describe the whole system, measured where water enters the pipes, not your tap. Your home’s plumbing can add lead or copper.
EPA testing for PFAS and lithium
EPA’s own nationwide testing (UCMR 5) found these in University of New Mexico’s water between Feb 2025 and Aug 2025. These are EPA lab results, separate from the district’s report. Anything not listed was not detected.
- Lithium45.1 ppbFound in 2 of 2 samples · highest resultAbove EPA’s health reference level of 10 ppb (a guide, not a legal limit)
Source: EPA UCMR 5 occurrence data. The highest single result is shown; one high sample doesn’t mean every glass is that high.
What you can do
Nothing here is an emergency notice: if the district has a violation, it must tell customers directly. If you’d like to lower these at your tap, these are the treatments that remove them, and the catalog shows the models certified for each. Ranking is by certified removal; commissions never change the order.
Radium and uranium
Found: Gross alpha (radioactivity), Gross beta (radioactivity), Radium (combined 226 + 228), Uranium
What removes it: Reverse osmosis.
Lead
Found: Lead
What removes it: Certified carbon block or RO.
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