Health Violations Found NM 5 HEALTH VIOLATIONS

Eldorado Area Water and Sanitation District

EPA ID: NM3537326 · 7,082 people served · 13 ZIP codes

Where compliant utilities carry no open actions, Eldorado Area Water and Sanitation District shows 7 active EPA violations in the federal database for a service population of approximately 7,082.

Data: EPA SDWIS Last verified: 2026-04-02

D · 50
Avg Safety Score
7,082
People Served
13
ZIP Codes Served
22
Violations (5yr)
Surface Water
Water Source
0.011 mg/L
Max Lead Level
Zone 1
Radon Risk · High
7
Contaminants Flagged
$524K
Median Home Value in Service Area

Compliance Trajectory

Worsening · Risk tier: High · 95% chance of violation in next 12 months

Violations went from 1 (2022) to 1 (2025). The pattern suggests growing compliance challenges.

Service Area Map

Coverage area for Eldorado Area Water and Sanitation District Source: EPA SDWIS service area boundaries.

Service area boundary — Grade D

Service Area Demographics

$75,912
Median Household Income
135,530
Service Area Population
28%
Disadvantaged Population
50th
Poverty Percentile
30th
Energy Burden Percentile
46%
Pre-1986 Housing

The Eldorado Area Water and Sanitation District serves a community with a median household income of $75,912 and an estimated 135,530 residents across its service area. Approximately 46% of housing stock was built before 1986, which increases the likelihood of lead service lines and older plumbing.

🌊 Where Does Your Water Come From?

Surface Water

Eldorado Area Water and Sanitation District's water is drawn from rivers, lakes, or reservoirs. Surface water sources are more exposed to agricultural runoff, stormwater, and upstream discharges, but they typically receive more intensive treatment before reaching your tap.

Elevated Risk
Source Contamination Risk
10th
Wastewater Discharge Proximity
30th
Superfund Site Proximity

About 1% of homes in Santa Fe 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

42 yr
Avg Pipe Age
Copper
Pipe Material
26 yr
Est. Remaining Life
Moderate Wear
Decay Status
Installed 62% of expected lifespan used End of life

Detected Contaminants

How Eldorado Area Water and Sanitation District compares to EPA limits

What This Means For You

Surface Water Treatment Rule at 9 mg/L exceeds the EPA maximum of mg/L.

Stage 2 DBP Rule at 8 mg/L exceeds the EPA maximum of mg/L.

Consumer Confidence Report Rule at 5 mg/L exceeds the EPA maximum of mg/L.

Stage 1 DBP Rule at 3 mg/L exceeds the EPA maximum of mg/L.

Lead and Copper Rule at 3 mg/L exceeds the EPA maximum of mg/L.

PFAS Detected in Service Area

PFAS ("forever chemicals") have been detected in water serving this system's area. 1 detection recorded.

State limits: PFOA: 0.012 ppt, PFOS: 0.012 ppt
Health concern: PFAS are linked to cancer, thyroid disease, immune suppression, and developmental effects. They do not break down naturally.
Recommended filter: Reverse osmosis (RO) or activated carbon filters certified for PFAS removal. Find the right filter →

Comparable Water Systems

Similar-sized systems in New Mexico

0 violations
Truth or Consequences
6,783 people
C 47 violations
0 violations
C 0 violations
B 12 violations

Estimated Remediation Costs

Average estimated costs across ZIP codes served by this system

Radon Mitigation Flood Insurance Water Filtration PFAS Treatment
Radon Mitigation $1,200
Flood Insurance $738
Water Filtration $508
PFAS Treatment $38
Total Estimated Cost $2,485

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.

Cost of Inaction

If water quality issues in this service area are not addressed, the estimated financial impact per household is:

Estimated Healthcare Costs $1,500

Annual per household (CDC est.)

Estimated Property Value Decline $26,180

5% of median home value (EPA est.)

PFAS Exposure — Lifetime Cost $1,000

Per person (emerging research est.)

Estimated Cumulative Cost Per Household

5 years
$20,755
10 years
$41,510
20 years
$83,020

Compare: Estimated remediation cost is $2,485 (one-time) vs. $41,510 in estimated inaction costs over 10 years.

Estimates based on published EPA, CDC, and peer-reviewed research. Individual costs vary by household size, property, and health factors. These are conservative lower-bound estimates intended for awareness, not financial advice.

System Overview

Eldorado Area Water and Sanitation District (EPA ID: NM3537326) is a community water system in New Mexico that serves approximately 7,082 people from surface water sources.

This system provides water to 13 ZIP codes across 3 communities.

Average Home Safety Score: D (50/100)

Based on water quality violations, lead levels, and radon risk across all ZIP codes served by this system.

Violation History

5 health-based violations recorded in the past 5 years. 7 remain unresolved.

Recent Violations

Date Contaminant Type Status
July 1, 2025 Surface Water Treatment Rule Monitoring Resolved
October 17, 2024 Stage 2 DBP Rule Health-based Unresolved
October 17, 2024 Stage 2 DBP Rule Monitoring Unresolved
October 2, 2024 Contaminant 0700 Health-based Unresolved
October 1, 2024 Stage 1 DBP Rule Monitoring Resolved
July 1, 2024 Surface Water Treatment Rule Monitoring Resolved
July 1, 2023 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 9 No
Stage 2 DBP Rule Treatment Failure 8 Yes
Consumer Confidence Report Rule Reporting Failure 5 No
Stage 1 DBP Rule Treatment Failure 3 No
Lead and Copper Rule Treatment Failure 3 No
Revised Total Coliform Rule Microbiological 2 No
Contaminant 0700 Other Violation 1 Yes

Lead & Copper

EPA Lead and Copper Rule sampling data for ZIP codes served by this system:

ZIP Code Lead Level Exceeds Limit Sample Date
87010 0.011 mg/L No N/A
87508 0.0013 mg/L No N/A

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 $20–$50 (DIY kit) · Professional inspection: $150–$400

Find the Right Water Filter

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

ZIP Codes Served

Coverage: 3 ZIP codes confirmed via EPA Community Water System Service Area Boundaries v3 plus 10 additional ZIPs 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 Eldorado Area Water and Sanitation District (NM3537326) on EPA.gov.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Eldorado Area Water and Sanitation District water safe to drink?

Eldorado Area Water and Sanitation District has recorded 5 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 Eldorado Area Water and Sanitation District serve?

Eldorado Area Water and Sanitation District serves approximately 7,082 people across 13 ZIP codes in New Mexico.

Where does Eldorado Area Water and Sanitation District get its water?

The primary water source is surface water.

Water Source & Treatment

Where this water originates and how it's treated before reaching your tap.

Source
Purchased from another utility
Treated water purchased wholesale from another water system.
Disinfectant used
Chlorine

Source: Eldorado Area Water and Sanitation Dist. 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
Standard
Disinfection plus one or more treatment additives — typically corrosion control, pH adjustment, or fluoridation. Standard regime for utilities serving treated municipal water.

Treatment classification and chemical list sourced from Eldorado Area Water and Sanitation Dist. 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: Detected

This water system was tested under the federal EPA Unregulated Contaminant Monitoring Rule (UCMR5). PFAS compounds were detected below the current state-enforceable MCL.

Samples collected
377
Detections
1
Latest sample
1/17/2024
Highest analyte
6:2 FTS: 16 ppt
Analyte Max detected Current MCL Status
6:2 FTS 16 ppt

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 →

Understand PFAS health context and filtration →

Lead Service Line Inventory

Service line breakdown reported under the federal Lead and Copper Rule Improvements (LCRI) inventory requirement:

0
Confirmed Lead
0
Galvanized — Replacement Required
0
Unknown Material
2,896
Confirmed Non-Lead

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.

Federal Regulatory Status · 2026Q1
LCRR inventory submission: Reported all required service line types
Latest tap sample on 2022-01-01 did not exceed the federal lead action level.
Population served: 7,082
Reported to New Mexico

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.

Learn about lead in drinking water →

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 Eldorado Area Water and Sanitation District safe to drink?
Eldorado Area Water and Sanitation District has a D safety grade based on 22 recorded violations. Some contaminants may exceed EPA limits — independent testing is recommended.
What contaminants are in Eldorado Area Water and Sanitation District's water?
Detected contaminants include Surface Water Treatment Rule, Stage 2 DBP Rule, Consumer Confidence Report Rule, Stage 1 DBP Rule. Each is compared against EPA maximum contaminant levels (MCLs) in the detailed breakdown above.
Should I use a water filter?
Given 5 contaminants above EPA limits, a certified water filter can provide an extra layer of protection. The best type depends on specific contaminants in your water.
How many people does Eldorado Area Water and Sanitation District serve?
Eldorado Area Water and Sanitation District serves approximately 7,082 people with drinking water across 13 ZIP codes.
What is Eldorado Area Water and Sanitation District's water source?
Eldorado Area Water and Sanitation District draws water from surface water sources. Source type affects which contaminants are most likely to be present.
Is there lead in Eldorado Area Water and Sanitation District's water?
The maximum detected lead level is 0.011 mg/L. This is within EPA action level guidelines.
What is the demographic profile of Eldorado Area Water and Sanitation District's service area?
The Eldorado Area Water and Sanitation District service area has a median household income of $75,912. Demographic data is sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau and EPA EJScreen.
Where does Eldorado Area Water and Sanitation District get its water?
Eldorado Area Water and Sanitation District's water is drawn from rivers, lakes, or reservoirs. Surface water sources are more exposed to agricultural runoff, stormwater, and upstream discharges, but they typically receive more intensive treatment before reaching your tap. Based on violation history and environmental factors, the source contamination risk is currently elevated.

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 →

2

Check your specific ZIP code

Water quality can vary within a system. View nearest ZIP report →

3

Contact your utility

Eldorado Area Water and Sanitation District (EPA ID: NM3537326) — request the latest Consumer Confidence Report or ask about specific contaminants.

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