Your water meets state and federal regulations for safety

Last year we conducted more than 900 tests for over 80 drinking water contaminants.  This brochure is a snapshot of the quality of the water that was provided in 2007. Included are details about where your water comes from, what it contains and how it compares to Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) standards. We are committed to providing you with this information because we want you to be informed. For more information about your water, call 505.466.1085 to speak with a member of the operations staff.

Special population advisory

Some people may be more vulnerable to contaminants in drinking water than the general population. Immuno-compromised persons such as persons with cancer undergoing chemotherapy, persons who have undergone organ transplants, people with HIV/AIDS or other immune system disorders, some elderly and infants can be particularly at risk from infections. These people should seek advice about their drinking water from their health care providers. EPA/Center for Disease Control guidelines on how to lessen the risk of infections and other microbial contaminants are available from the EPA’s Safe Drinking Water Hotline 800.426.4791.

Drinking water sources

Your water comes from groundwater in the Rio Grande aquifer/basin.  A network of production wells pumps water from the ground. There are a total of 12 wells that are actively being used in the Eldorado system which distribute directly to the customer or pumped to storage tanks from which the water is sent through the distribution system to you.  Source water assessment information may be obtained from the New Mexico Environment Department at 505.476.8620. 

Public participation opportunities

All of our customers are invited to visit our office in Eldorado at 1 Caliente Road Suite B.  Both Utility staff and Utility Board members engage in activities and public meetings to inform and educate community members about water supply issues. If you are interested in obtaining more information about your water system, you may contact Utility staff at 505.466.1085. 

Contaminants in water

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’s Safe Drinking Water Hotline 800.426.4791.
The sources of drinking water (both tap water and bottled water) 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 can pick up substances resulting from the presence of animals or from human activity.
Contaminants that may be present in source water before we treat it 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 storm water runoff, industrial or domestic wastewater discharges, oil and gas production, mining or farming.
• Pesticides & herbicides, which may come from a variety of sources such as agriculture and residential use.
• Radioactive contaminants, which are naturally occurring.
• Organic chemical contaminants, including synthetic and volatile organic chemicals, which are by-products of industrial processes and petroleum production, and also can come from gas stations, urban storm water runoff, and septic systems.

Water quality monitoring

To ensure that tap water is safe to drink, EPA prescribes regulations that limit the amount of certain contaminants in water provided by public water systems. We treat our water according to EPA’s regulations. Food and Drug Administration regulations establish limits for contaminants in bottled water, which must provide the same protection for public health.
Este reporte incluye informacion imoportante sobre el agua para tomar. Si tiene preguntas o’ discusiones sobre este reporte en espanol, favor de llamar al tel. 505.476.8620 par hablar con una persona bilingue en espanol.

Water quality data

The table in this report lists all the drinking water contaminants we detected during the 2007 compliance period. The values listed are not an average of the wells but the highest detection level of all the wells. The presence of these contaminants in the water does not necessarily indicate that the water poses a health risk. The data presented in this table are from testing done in 2007 and years prior.  The New Mexico Drinking Water Bureau requires us to monitor for certain contaminants less than once per year because the concentrations of these contaminants are not expected to vary significantly from year to year. Some of the data, though representative of the water quality, are more than one year old.

 

Terms & Abbreviations

• Terms & Abbreviations

  AL: Action Level - the concentration of a contaminant which, when exceeded, triggers treatment or other requirements that a water system must follow.
  MCLG: Maximum Contaminant Level Goal - the level of a contaminant in drinking water below which there is no known or expected risk to health. MCLG's allow for a margin of safety.
  MCL: Maximum Contaminant Level - the highest level of a contaminant that is allowed in drinking water. MCL' are set as close to the MCLG’s as feasible using the best available treatment technology.
  N/A: Not applicable	ND: Not detectable at testing limit
  NTU: Nephelometric Turbidity Units
  pCi/l: Picocuries per liter (a measure of radioactivity)
  PPM: Parts per million or milligrams per liter –         (corresponds to one minute in two years)
  (UG/L)  : Parts per billion or micrograms per liter –         (corresponds to one minute in 2,000 years)
  TT: Treatment Technique - A required process intended to reduce the level of a contaminant in drinking water