Los Alamos Municipal Water System
EPA ID: NM3500115 · 25,000 people served · 3 ZIP codes
Five-year compliance data for Los Alamos Municipal Water System includes 17 violations the EPA has not yet marked resolved — those open findings are part of the utility's current enforcement profile, covering a service population of approximately 25,000 residents across the area it supplies.
Data: EPA SDWIS Last verified: 2026-04-02
Service Area Map
Coverage area for Los Alamos Municipal Water System Source: EPA SDWIS service area boundaries.
Service area boundary — Grade B
Service Area Demographics
The Los Alamos Municipal Water System serves a community with a median household income of $142,911 and an estimated 19,374 residents across its service area. Approximately 75% of housing stock was built before 1986, which increases the likelihood of lead service lines and older plumbing.
💧 Where Does Your Water Come From?
Los Alamos Municipal Water System's water is pumped from underground aquifers. Groundwater is naturally filtered through rock and soil, but it can be vulnerable to PFAS contamination, nitrates from agriculture, and industrial chemicals that seep into the water table.
About 1% of homes in Los Alamos County, New Mexico rely on private wells rather than public water systems. Private well owners are responsible for their own water testing and treatment.
Wastewater Proximity Note: This service area ranks in the 70th percentile nationally for proximity to wastewater discharge points.
Infrastructure Risk
Detected Contaminants
How Los Alamos Municipal Water System compares to EPA limits
What This Means For You
Surface Water Treatment Rule at 12 mg/L exceeds the EPA maximum of mg/L.
Stage 1 DBP Rule at 8 mg/L exceeds the EPA maximum of mg/L.
Contaminant 0700 at 4 mg/L exceeds the EPA maximum of mg/L.
Stage 2 DBP Rule at 2 mg/L exceeds the EPA maximum of mg/L.
Lead and Copper Rule at 2 mg/L exceeds the EPA maximum of mg/L.
Comparable Water Systems
Similar-sized systems in New Mexico
Estimated Remediation Costs
Average estimated costs across ZIP codes served by this system
Based on national averages for common remediation projects. Actual costs vary by property. Only issues flagged by EPA, FEMA, or state data for each ZIP code are included.
System Overview
Los Alamos Municipal Water System (EPA ID: NM3500115) is a community water system in New Mexico that serves approximately 25,000 people from groundwater sources.
This system provides water to 3 ZIP codes across 2 communities.
Average Home Safety Score: B (70/100)
Based on water quality violations, lead levels, and radon risk across all ZIP codes served by this system.
Violation History
Recent Violations
| Date | Contaminant | Type | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| July 1, 2025 | Surface Water Treatment Rule | Monitoring | Unresolved |
| July 1, 2025 | Stage 1 DBP Rule | Monitoring | Unresolved |
| January 1, 2025 | Stage 1 DBP Rule | Monitoring | Unresolved |
| October 17, 2024 | Stage 2 DBP Rule | Health-based | Unresolved |
| October 17, 2024 | Stage 2 DBP Rule | Monitoring | Unresolved |
| October 11, 2024 | Contaminant 0700 | Health-based | Unresolved |
| October 1, 2024 | Surface Water Treatment Rule | Monitoring | Unresolved |
| August 16, 2024 | Lead and Copper Rule | Monitoring | Resolved |
| July 16, 2024 | Contaminant 0700 | Monitoring | Resolved |
| July 1, 2024 | Surface Water Treatment Rule | Monitoring | Unresolved |
| July 1, 2024 | Stage 1 DBP Rule | Monitoring | Unresolved |
| March 31, 2024 | Contaminant 0700 | Health-based | Resolved |
| January 4, 2024 | Contaminant 0700 | Monitoring | Unresolved |
| October 1, 2023 | Surface Water Treatment Rule | Monitoring | Resolved |
| July 1, 2023 | Surface Water Treatment Rule | Monitoring | Resolved |
| July 1, 2023 | Stage 1 DBP Rule | Monitoring | Resolved |
| January 1, 2023 | Stage 1 DBP Rule | Monitoring | Resolved |
Contaminants Detected
The following contaminants have been flagged in EPA records for this water system:
| Contaminant | Category | Violations | Health-Based |
|---|---|---|---|
| Surface Water Treatment Rule | Treatment Failure | 12 | No |
| Stage 1 DBP Rule | Treatment Failure | 8 | No |
| Contaminant 0700 | Other Violation | 4 | Yes |
| Stage 2 DBP Rule | Treatment Failure | 2 | Yes |
| Lead and Copper Rule | Treatment Failure | 2 | No |
Lead & Copper
EPA Lead and Copper Rule sampling data for ZIP codes served by this system:
Radon Risk in Service Area
Dominant radon zone for ZIP codes served by this system: Zone 2 (Moderate Risk)
The EPA recommends testing homes in Zone 1 and Zone 2 areas for radon.
Need help with your water quality?
Typical cost: Water test: typically $20–$50 (DIY kit) · Professional inspection: $150–$400
Find the Right Water FilterFree tip: Let cold water run for 2 minutes before drinking — this helps flush lead from your pipes.
ZIP Codes Served
Coverage: 2 ZIP codes confirmed via EPA Community Water System Service Area Boundaries v3 plus 1 additional ZIP inferred from SDWIS registry data. The EPA-confirmed set is the most reliable; SDWIS-inferred entries may be narrower than the real deployment area.
Data Sources
This report uses public data from the EPA Safe Drinking Water Information System (SDWIS). View the full compliance record for Los Alamos Municipal Water System (NM3500115) on EPA.gov.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Los Alamos Municipal Water System water safe to drink?
Los Alamos Municipal Water System has recorded 3 health-based violations in the past 5 years. While the system is required to treat water to meet federal standards, you may want to consider additional precautions such as a certified water filter.
How many people does Los Alamos Municipal Water System serve?
Los Alamos Municipal Water System serves approximately 25,000 people across 3 ZIP codes in New Mexico.
Where does Los Alamos Municipal Water System get its water?
The primary water source is groundwater.
Contact Your Water Utility
Public-record contact information for the water utility serving this system. Use these channels to request water quality reports, ask about service, or report issues directly.
Contact information from Los Alamos Department of Public Utilities Consumer Confidence Report.
ZipCheckup is not affiliated with this water utility, does not act as its agent, and does not provide customer support for it. Contact details shown are public-record information from CCR filings. For service issues, contact the utility directly using the information above.
Water Source & Treatment
Where this water originates and how it's treated before reaching your tap.
Source: Los Alamos Department of Public Utilities Consumer Confidence Report.
ZipCheckup is not affiliated with this water utility. Treatment and source data are sourced from the utility's published CCR filings.
NMED ranked the susceptibility of Los Alamos entire water system as 'moderately high.'
Treatment regime
How this utility classifies its treatment process and what each reported treatment chemical does.
Treatment chemicals and what each one does
Chemical names are reported verbatim by the utility. Purpose categories are ZipCheckup annotations based on standard drinking-water treatment practice.
Treatment classification and chemical list sourced from Los Alamos Department of Public Utilities Consumer Confidence Report.
Treatment intensity is a ZipCheckup-derived classification based on the chemicals and processes the utility reports. Chemicals and contamination sources are taken verbatim from the utility's CCR filing. Routine federal monitoring and contaminant testing shown elsewhere on this page determine whether the water meets safety standards, not the treatment classification.
Federal UCMR5 PFAS Monitoring: Tested Clean
This water system was tested under the federal EPA Unregulated Contaminant Monitoring Rule (UCMR5). No PFAS compounds were detected.
Current MCL reflects the lowest state-enforceable limit (NYS 10 ppt for PFOA/PFOS, effective August 2020). The federal final MCL of 4 ppt for PFOA/PFOS (EPA April 2024 rule) is not enforceable until April 2029. Detections above 4 ppt but below 10 ppt are below current MCL but above the future federal limit.
Source: U.S. EPA UCMR5 (Unregulated Contaminant Monitoring Rule, 5th cycle) — per-system federal sampling, 2023–2025. EPA UCMR5 monitoring program →
PFAS Substances Detected in This System
This water system's Consumer Confidence Report disclosed the following PFAS compounds. Levels are from the utility's most recent reporting cycle.
In April 2024, EPA finalized the first National Primary Drinking Water Regulation for six PFAS. Public water systems have until 2029 to comply. EPA — PFAS regulation overview →
Source: Consumer Confidence Report disclosed by Los Alamos Department of Public Utilities.
ZipCheckup is not affiliated with this water utility. PFAS detection data is sourced from public Consumer Confidence Reports filed by the utility itself.
Lead Service Line Replacement Tracker
This water utility's lead service line (LSL) replacement program is tracked from public Consumer Confidence Report filings. Email signup notifies subscribers when the utility files an updated replacement plan or progress milestone.
Los Alamos Department of Public Utilities
ZipCheckup is not affiliated with this water utility. LSL replacement-program data is sourced from public CCR filings published by the utility. Subscription notifications are based on automated parsing of subsequent CCR releases.
Learn more about Lead and Copper Rule replacement requirements →
How Water Systems Appear in Rankings
Water systems are evaluated by violation history, contaminant detections, and service population. Larger systems with more service connections appear in more rankings.
Frequently Asked Questions
What You Can Do
Test your water
Home test kits can detect lead, bacteria, and other contaminants at your tap. Find the right filter →
Check your specific ZIP code
Water quality can vary within a system. View nearest ZIP report →
Contact your utility
Los Alamos Municipal Water System (EPA ID: NM3500115) — request the latest Consumer Confidence Report or ask about specific contaminants.