Carlsbad Municipal Water System
EPA ID: NM3520608 · 33,626 people served · 2 ZIP codes
Federal compliance records for Carlsbad Municipal Water System list 17 open violations that have not yet been resolved — the utility serves approximately 33,626 people, and each outstanding finding remains logged and active in the EPA enforcement database.
Data: EPA SDWIS Last verified: 2026-04-02
Compliance Trajectory
Worsening · Risk tier: High · 95% chance of violation in next 12 months
Violations went from 8 (2024) to 2 (2025). The pattern suggests growing compliance challenges.
Service Area Map
Coverage area for Carlsbad Municipal Water System Source: EPA SDWIS service area boundaries.
Service area boundary — Grade B
Service Area Demographics
The Carlsbad Municipal Water System serves a community with a median household income of $79,668 and an estimated 40,151 residents across its service area. Approximately 65% of housing stock was built before 1986, which increases the likelihood of lead service lines and older plumbing.
Environmental Justice Note: 50% 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.
💧 Where Does Your Water Come From?
Carlsbad 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 Eddy County, New Mexico rely on private wells rather than public water systems. Private well owners are responsible for their own water testing and treatment.
Infrastructure Risk
Detected Contaminants
How Carlsbad Municipal Water System compares to EPA limits
What This Means For You
Total Trihalomethanes (TTHM) at 2 mg/L exceeds the EPA maximum of 0.08 mg/L. Bladder & rectal cancer risk; reproductive concerns. Consider granular activated carbon (GAC) filtration.
Surface Water Treatment Rule at 18 mg/L exceeds the EPA maximum of mg/L.
Lead and Copper Rule at 10 mg/L exceeds the EPA maximum of mg/L.
Consumer Confidence Report Rule at 6 mg/L exceeds the EPA maximum of mg/L.
Revised Total Coliform Rule at 6 presence exceeds the EPA maximum of presence.
Total Trihalomethanes (TTHM) was detected in this water system. granular activated carbon (GAC) filtration can reduce exposure.
Find a certified water filter →Comparable Water Systems
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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
Carlsbad Municipal Water System (EPA ID: NM3520608) is a community water system in New Mexico that serves approximately 33,626 people from groundwater sources.
This system provides water to 2 ZIP codes across 1 community.
Average Home Safety Score: B (72/100)
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| August 21, 2025 | Lead and Copper Rule | Monitoring | Unresolved |
| July 1, 2025 | Surface Water Treatment Rule | Monitoring | Unresolved |
| July 1, 2025 | Stage 1 DBP Rule | Monitoring | Unresolved |
| June 1, 2025 | Consumer Confidence Report Rule | Monitoring | Resolved |
| June 1, 2025 | Revised Total Coliform Rule | Monitoring | Resolved |
| April 1, 2025 | Contaminant 0700 | Monitoring | Resolved |
| March 1, 2025 | Consumer Confidence Report Rule | Monitoring | Resolved |
| March 1, 2025 | Revised Total Coliform Rule | Monitoring | Resolved |
| February 7, 2025 | Lead and Copper Rule | Monitoring | Unresolved |
| October 20, 2024 | Lead and Copper Rule | Monitoring | Unresolved |
| October 17, 2024 | Stage 2 DBP Rule | Monitoring | Unresolved |
| October 17, 2024 | Stage 2 DBP Rule | Health-based | Unresolved |
| October 1, 2024 | Surface Water Treatment Rule | Monitoring | Unresolved |
| October 1, 2024 | Stage 1 DBP Rule | Monitoring | Unresolved |
| July 1, 2024 | Surface Water Treatment 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 | 18 | No |
| Lead and Copper Rule | Treatment Failure | 10 | No |
| Consumer Confidence Report Rule | Reporting Failure | 6 | No |
| Revised Total Coliform Rule | Microbiological | 6 | No |
| Stage 1 DBP Rule | Treatment Failure | 4 | No |
| Stage 2 DBP Rule | Treatment Failure | 4 | Yes |
| Total Trihalomethanes (TTHM) | Disinfection Byproducts | 2 | No |
| Contaminant 0700 | Other Violation | 1 | 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: 1 ZIP code 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 Carlsbad Municipal Water System (NM3520608) on EPA.gov.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Carlsbad Municipal Water System water safe to drink?
Carlsbad Municipal Water System has recorded 2 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 Carlsbad Municipal Water System serve?
Carlsbad Municipal Water System serves approximately 33,626 people across 2 ZIP codes in New Mexico.
Where does Carlsbad 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 City of Carlsbad Municipal Water System 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: City of Carlsbad Municipal Water System Consumer Confidence Report.
ZipCheckup is not affiliated with this water utility. Treatment and source data are sourced from the utility's published CCR filings.
The Carlsbad Municipal water system is well maintained and operated, and sources of drinking water are generally protected from potential sources of contamination based on well construction, hydrogeologic settings, and system operations and management. The susceptibility rank of the entire water system is Moderate.
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 City of Carlsbad Municipal Water System 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 →
Lead Service Line Inventory
Service line breakdown reported under the federal Lead and Copper Rule Improvements (LCRI) inventory requirement:
This system reports zero confirmed lead service lines in its inventory. Unknown-material counts may still warrant verification.
Federal LCRI rule (effective October 2024) requires every public water system to inventory its service lines and complete lead-line replacement within 10 years.
Source: EPA SDWIS Federal Service Line Inventory (Phase 2) · Submitted 2026
ZipCheckup is not affiliated with the utility or state agency. Inventory figures render verbatim from the public LCRI submission cited above; ZipCheckup does not perform inspections or replacements.
Aesthetic water quality
These measurements describe the look, taste, and feel of the water this utility delivers. They are not contaminant violations — they sit alongside federal Secondary Maximum Contaminant Levels (SMCLs) which the EPA publishes as non-enforceable guidance.
Aesthetic measurements from City of Carlsbad Municipal Water System Consumer Confidence Report.
Aesthetic measurements are reported by the utility from its annual sampling. EPA Secondary MCLs are advisory thresholds — values outside them indicate aesthetic concerns such as taste or appearance, not health violations. Federal contaminant testing is shown in the sections above.
Hard water detected in City of Carlsbad Municipal Water System
Your utility reported water hardness of 340 ppm CaCO₃ (19.87 grains per gallon) in its most recent Consumer Confidence Report. This is in the very hard range and may cause scale buildup, reduced appliance lifespan, and dry skin or hair.
There are three common approaches to treating hard water: salt-based ion-exchange softeners (most effective, require salt refills), salt-free conditioners (lower maintenance, scale prevention only), and reverse osmosis at the kitchen sink (cooking and drinking water only). Aquasana, EcoWater, Pelican, and SpringWell are among the major US brands.
Paid Partner. ZipCheckup earns commission on Aquasana purchases. We do not test water or verify product effectiveness for specific hardness levels — manufacturer claims are theirs alone. Consult a certified water-quality professional for personalized advice.
Hardness data parsed from this utility's most recent Consumer Confidence Report. Severity bands per USGS hard water classification.
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
Carlsbad Municipal Water System (EPA ID: NM3520608) — request the latest Consumer Confidence Report or ask about specific contaminants.