Drinking water in Las Cruces has been a fundamental matter amongst residents considering the city’s history of violating the local water system. Since 2012, Las Cruces has violated the Safe Drinking Water Act six times. Since 2017, there have been no recent violations. In the southwest region of the United States, including El Paso, Texas, residents constantly fight to protect their water and uphold water monitoring.
To know where water standards in Las Cruces stand, we have to ask ourselves the crucial questions: Is tap water in Las Cruces safe to drink? What do we have in place that protects our water? Is water filtration effective? Contact Suntech Services or call (575) 523-2400 for more information.
Is it safe to drink tap water in Las Cruces?
According to the latest report from the Environmental Working Group, tap water provided by the local water company has complied with federal health-based drinking water standards. But that does not mean that contaminants are not being found.
So, the short answer? Las Cruces’ tap water is generally safe to drink, but much like anywhere else, there could be low levels of pollutants, especially if lead pipes in homes are present. Low levels of pollutants are found to pose the most significant health risks to those who are immunocompromised and other vulnerable individuals. Water filtration systems could be a possible solution going forward.
What is the Safe Drinking Water Act?
The Safe Drinking Water Act is a federal law from 1974 that was made to protect public water supplies from being polluted with harmful contaminants. The act is administered by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
Under this act, the EPA does the following:
- Sets drinking water quality standards
- Monitors states, local authorities, and water supplies that abide by standards
As part of the act, the EPA has set maximum contaminant levels and treatment requirements for over 90 contaminants in public drinking water.
What does it mean for Las Cruces?
Las Cruces has five water systems that make up the boundaries of the city:
- Las Cruces Municipal Water System
- Hacienda Acres Water System
- Las Alturas Estates Water System
- San Andres Estates Water System
- University Estates Water System
Samples have been taken from these water systems, and data showed that 10% of the samples taken from Las Cruces contained more lead. It is important to understand that while water testing in Las Cruces may have found some lead levels in its water, that does not necessarily mean that all Las Cruces households have the same amount in their drinking water supply, especially if water filtration is being utilized.
Lead levels in a city can vary significantly on smaller scales, such as from neighborhood to neighborhood or even building to building. Older buildings are typically more of a cause for concern when determining how much lead is present in their water supply. To determine if your home has lead that enters your drinking water or what lead levels look like, we highly recommend getting your drinking water tested as soon as possible.
Learn More About Safe Drinking Water with Sun Tech Services
Sun Tech Services is here to provide safe drinking water and water filtration solutions to residents in the borderland, in both Las Cruces and El Paso. If you want to upgrade your water, you can experience the benefits of safer and cleaner water with our water filtration services. Get in touch with us or call (575) 523-2400 to learn more about how we can help you.