Departments of Environment and Health Offer Free Water Tests
to Private Well Owners in Lordsburg, Hidalgo County Area

Santa Fe - New Mexico Environment Department (NMED) and the New Mexico Department of Health (DOH) are hosting a no-cost Domestic Well Water Testing event in Lordsburg on August 20 and 21 at the Hidalgo County Agricultural Extension Office. Although well owners are encouraged to periodically test their drinking water, such tests can be costly, starting at $150.

This money-saving opportunity is the chance for Hidalgo County households to check pH, specific conductance, and the levels of fluoride, iron, sulfate, nitrate, and manganese in the well water. These constituents may be naturally occurring or result from sources including fertilizer, animal waste, septic tanks, and refuse dumps. Drinking water with high levels of nitrate can be dangerous to pregnant women and infants, while other contaminants may lead to aesthetic nuisances and other health problems.

Additionally well owners will be able to check the arsenic level in their water, which is not commonly included in general testing. Arsenic is naturally occurring and has been measured in water from private wells throughout the state at concentrations that exceed recommended drinking water quality health standards.

€œDrinking water with high levels of arsenic over many years can cause health problems in some people, € said Department of Health Cabinet Secretary Retta Ward, MPH. €œThis is an example of why well owners are encouraged to know and understand the quality of the water they are drinking and this is an opportunity to do that. €

About 20 percent of New Mexicans receive their water from private wells, which are not monitored routinely. To support well owners, the Health Department offers information about various well topics at https://nmtracking.org/water.

€œThe Environment Department is committed to providing communities with the advice and assistance they need to ensure that clean drinking water is available, € said NMED Cabinet Secretary Ryan Flynn. €œWe hold these no-cost water fairs throughout the state and throughout the year. Free water testing enables New Mexicans, who rely on private, domestic well water, to have the knowledge they need to assure that their drinking water is safe. €

The event will be at the Hidalgo County Agricultural Extension Office, 1226 East 2nd Street, Hidalgo County Fairgrounds, Lordsburg, NM 88045 from 12:00 P.M. to 6:00 P.M. on Thursday, August 20th, and from 9:00 A.M. to 12:00 P.M on Friday, August 21st. These free tests will be offered on a first-come first-served basis while supplies are available. Test results will be mailed to households following the event.

To have water tested, residents need to take a sample of their water to the event. The departments suggest these tips:

Use a clean glass or plastic container that holds at least a quart of water (such as a 1-liter soda bottle or gallon milk jug). The container should not have a strong odor (avoid pickle jars and vinegar bottles).
Collect the water before it runs through any water treatment/filters, such as an R.O. or a water softener. (If the home has a whole house filtration system, collect the water at the well head).
Let the water run for a couple of minutes before filling the bottle/container.
Fill the bottle with the water as close to the time of testing as possible (right before coming to the event).
Label the bottle with your name and phone number.

Along with the water sample, residents should bring any information known about the well such as: well depth, depth to water, well casing material (i.e., steel, pvc), well latitude/longitude, and distance from well to the nearest septic tank/leachfield system. A sample form for gathering this useful information is available at: https://nmtracking.org/media/cms_page_media/160/Well.Test.Form_1.pdf .

If well owners are unable to attend the event but would like to have their water tested, they may have their sample brought to the event by a family member or neighbor, as long as the bottle is clearly labeled with their name, phone number, and address and information about the well is attached.

The NMED and DOH will only test water that comes from homes that rely on private wells for drinking water. Water from households that are connected to city/community/public water system is periodically tested and those results are available at: https://nmtracking.org/en/data_query/  , https://nmtracking.org/en/environ_exposure/water-qual/community-drinking-water-data/  and https://dww.water.net.env.nm.gov/DWW/  .

For further information about this water testing opportunity, call the Environment Department at 505-827-1046.