Water System Report NM

Taos Municipal Water System

EPA ID: NM3507529 ยท 5,528 people served ยท 3 ZIP codes

ZipCheckup's reading of EPA SDWIS for Taos Municipal Water System (NM3507529): no EPA violations recorded in the last five years. Taos Municipal Water System's five-year compliance history is clean by every EPA metric - no health-based violations, no monitoring lapses, no enforcement actions on record, reflecting consistent performance for a utility that supplies water to approximately 5,528 residents year after year.

Data: EPA SDWIS

D ยท 50
Avg Safety Score
5,528
People Served
3
ZIP Codes Served
0
Violations (5yr)
Groundwater
Water Source
0.005 mg/L
Max Lead Level
Zone 1
Radon Risk ยท High
0
Contaminants Flagged
$395K
Median Home Value in Service Area

Service Area Map

Coverage area for Taos Municipal Water System Source: EPA SDWIS service area boundaries.

Service area boundary - Grade D

Service Area Demographics

$56,406
Median Household Income
17,172
Service Area Population
100%
Disadvantaged Population
70th
Poverty Percentile
53th
Energy Burden Percentile
67%
Pre-1986 Housing

The Taos Municipal Water System serves a community with a median household income of $56,406 and an estimated 17,172 residents across its service area. Approximately 67% of housing stock was built before 1986, which increases the likelihood of lead service lines and older plumbing.

Environmental Justice Note: 100% of the population in this service area is classified as disadvantaged under EPA's EJScreen criteria. Communities with higher disadvantaged populations often face disproportionate environmental and health burdens, including aging water infrastructure and limited resources for remediation.

๐Ÿ’ง Where Does Your Water Come From?

Groundwater

Taos 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.

Low Risk
Source Contamination Risk
37th
Wastewater Discharge Proximity
40th
Superfund Site Proximity

Infrastructure Risk

42 yr
Avg Pipe Age
Copper
Pipe Material
28 yr
Est. Remaining Life
Moderate Wear
Decay Status
Installed 60% of expected lifespan used End of life

Comparable Water Systems

Similar-sized systems in New Mexico

1 violation
Tucumcari Water System
6,064 people
0 violations
Sandia Peak Utility
6,079 people
2 violations
Otis Mdwca
4,464 people
37 violations
1 violation

Estimated Remediation Costs

Average estimated costs across ZIP codes served by this system

Radon Mitigation Flood Insurance Water Filtration
Radon Mitigation $1,200
Flood Insurance $400
Water Filtration $200
Total Estimated Cost $1,800

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

Taos Municipal Water System (EPA ID: NM3507529) is a community water system in New Mexico that serves approximately 5,528 people from groundwater sources.

This system provides water to 3 ZIP codes across 3 communities.

ZIP-Area Home Safety Context: D (50/100)

This is the average Home Safety Score for 1 of 3 service-area ZIP codes with all required score domains observed. It is not a grade for the water utility.

Model 4.0.0 uses SDWIS identity plus accepted ECHO SDWA lifecycle-based water compliance, the UCMR 5 PFAS MCL screen, EPA radon zone, and annual EPA AirData AQI across three equally weighted domains. Missing required evidence suppresses the score.

Violation History

No accepted violation records in the 2021-2026 window - The accepted EPA ECHO 2026Q2 snapshot contains zero violation records for this system whose record year falls from 2021 through 2026, inclusive. This is not a tap-water safety guarantee.

Lead & Copper

EPA Lead and Copper Rule evidence attributed directly to this water system:

Lead Level Exceeds Action Level Sample Date
0.005 mg/L No N/A

No copper action-level exceedance record appears for this PWSID in the accepted LCR snapshot. This does not establish a clean copper measurement.

Radon Risk in Service Area

Dominant radon zone for ZIP codes served by this system: Zone 1 (High 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 $20โ€“$50 (DIY kit) ยท Professional inspection: $150โ€“$400

Find the Right Water Filter

Free tip: Let cold water run for 2 minutes before drinking โ€” this helps flush lead from your pipes.

ZIP Codes Served

Coverage: Service area ZIP codes sourced from EPA Community Water System Service Area Boundaries v3 (March 2026 release). These ZIPs reflect the actual deployment footprint recorded by NM or modeled from parcel and building-footprint data.

Data Sources

This report uses public data from the EPA Safe Drinking Water Information System (SDWIS). View the full compliance record for Taos Municipal Water System (NM3507529) on EPA.gov.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Taos Municipal Water System water safe to drink?

The accepted 2026Q2 ECHO snapshot contains zero violation records for Taos Municipal Water System in the inclusive 2021-2026 record-year window. This is a compliance-record finding, not a guarantee about water at a specific tap.

How many people does Taos Municipal Water System serve?

Taos Municipal Water System serves approximately 5,528 people across 3 ZIP codes in New Mexico.

Where does Taos Municipal Water System get its water?

The primary water source is groundwater.

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.

Samples collected
232

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) โ€” per-system federal sampling, 2023โ€“2025. EPA UCMR5 monitoring program โ†’

Understand PFAS health context and filtration โ†’

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

Is water from Taos Municipal Water System safe to drink?
Taos Municipal Water System has a D safety grade based on 0 recorded violations. Some contaminants may exceed EPA limits - independent testing is recommended.
Should I use a water filter?
Taos Municipal Water System meets EPA standards, but a water filter can reduce trace contaminants below detectable levels for added peace of mind.
How many people does Taos Municipal Water System serve?
Taos Municipal Water System serves approximately 5,528 people with drinking water across 3 ZIP codes.
What is Taos Municipal Water System's water source?
Taos Municipal Water System draws water from groundwater sources. Source type affects which contaminants are most likely to be present.
Is there lead in Taos Municipal Water System's water?
The maximum detected lead level is 0.005 mg/L. This is within EPA action level guidelines.
What is the demographic profile of Taos Municipal Water System's service area?
The Taos Municipal Water System service area has a median household income of $56,406. EPA EJScreen data classifies 100% of the population as disadvantaged, which may indicate greater vulnerability to environmental health risks.
Where does Taos Municipal Water System get its water?
Taos 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.

How to cite this page

APA ZipCheckup. (n.d.). Taos Municipal Water System Water Quality Report, NM. https://zipcheckup.com/water-system/nm3507529/
BibTeX
@misc{zipcheckup-water-system-nm3507529,
  author = {{ZipCheckup}},
  title  = {{Taos Municipal Water System Water Quality Report, NM}},
  year   = {n.d.},
  url    = {https://zipcheckup.com/water-system/nm3507529/}
}

What You Can Do

1

Test your water

Home test kits can detect lead, bacteria, and other contaminants at your tap. Find the right filter โ†’

2

Check your specific ZIP code

Water quality can vary within a system. View nearest ZIP report โ†’

3

Contact your utility

Taos Municipal Water System (EPA ID: NM3507529) - request the latest Consumer Confidence Report or ask about specific contaminants.

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