Artesia Rural Water Cooperative
EPA ID: NM3530608 · 1,880 people served · 6 ZIP codes
Artesia Rural Water Cooperative carries 1 open EPA violation that remain unresolved in the federal system — approximately 1,880 people fall within its service area.
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 21 (2024) to 12 (2025). The pattern suggests growing compliance challenges.
Service Area Map
Coverage area for Artesia Rural Water Cooperative Source: EPA SDWIS service area boundaries.
Service area boundary — Grade C
Service Area Demographics
The Artesia Rural Water Cooperative serves a community with a median household income of $80,046 and an estimated 59,751 residents across its service area. Approximately 51% of housing stock was built before 1986, which increases the likelihood of lead service lines and older plumbing.
Environmental Justice Note: 55% 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?
Artesia Rural Water Cooperative'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 Artesia Rural Water Cooperative compares to EPA limits
What This Means For You
Stage 1 DBP Rule at 1 mg/L exceeds the EPA maximum of mg/L.
Lead and Copper Rule at 1 mg/L exceeds the EPA maximum of mg/L.
Consumer Confidence Report Rule at 1 mg/L exceeds the EPA maximum of mg/L.
Revised Total Coliform Rule at 1 presence exceeds the EPA maximum of presence.
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
Artesia Rural Water Cooperative (EPA ID: NM3530608) is a community water system in New Mexico that serves approximately 1,880 people from groundwater sources.
This system provides water to 6 ZIP codes across 5 communities.
Average Home Safety Score: C (68/100)
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| January 1, 2025 | Consumer Confidence Report Rule | Monitoring | Unresolved |
| January 1, 2025 | Revised Total Coliform Rule | Monitoring | Resolved |
Contaminants Detected
The following contaminants have been flagged in EPA records for this water system:
| Contaminant | Category | Violations | Health-Based |
|---|---|---|---|
| Stage 1 DBP Rule | Treatment Failure | 1 | No |
| Lead and Copper Rule | Treatment Failure | 1 | No |
| Consumer Confidence Report Rule | Reporting Failure | 1 | No |
| Revised Total Coliform Rule | Microbiological | 1 | No |
Lead & Copper
EPA Lead and Copper Rule sampling data for ZIP codes served by this system:
| ZIP Code | Lead Level | Exceeds Limit | Sample Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| 88253 | 0.0006 mg/L | No | N/A |
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: 5 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 Artesia Rural Water Cooperative (NM3530608) on EPA.gov.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Artesia Rural Water Cooperative water safe to drink?
Artesia Rural Water Cooperative has only monitoring/reporting violations, which are procedural in nature. The system meets federal health-based standards.
How many people does Artesia Rural Water Cooperative serve?
Artesia Rural Water Cooperative serves approximately 1,880 people across 6 ZIP codes in New Mexico.
Where does Artesia Rural Water Cooperative get its water?
The primary water source is groundwater.
Water Source & Treatment
Where this water originates and how it's treated before reaching your tap.
Source: ARTESIA RURAL WATER COOPERATIVE Consumer Confidence Report.
ZipCheckup is not affiliated with this water utility. Treatment and source data are sourced from the utility's published CCR filings.
Treatment regime
How this utility classifies its treatment process and what each reported treatment chemical does.
Treatment classification and chemical list sourced from ARTESIA RURAL WATER COOPERATIVE 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.
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.
Notable events and violations
This section summarizes events the utility chose to disclose in its most recent Consumer Confidence Report, plus any federal compliance violations the utility recorded against itself. Both lists are utility-authored — ZipCheckup does not audit, judge, or reorder them.
Federal compliance violations on record
These entries are taken verbatim from the utility's CCR violations section. EPA defines four broad violation categories: Maximum Contaminant Level (MCL), Treatment Technique (TT), Monitoring & Reporting (M&R), and Public Notification (PN).
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MCL · Thallium2024-07-01 to 2024-12-31
MCL violation for thallium
Violations record from ARTESIA RURAL WATER COOPERATIVE Consumer Confidence Report.
ZipCheckup note: items above reflect what the utility published in its most recent CCR. Federal violation records are also tracked separately by the EPA Safe Drinking Water Information System (SDWIS) — the SDWIS record is the authoritative federal source for any specific regulatory action.
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
Artesia Rural Water Cooperative (EPA ID: NM3530608) — request the latest Consumer Confidence Report or ask about specific contaminants.