Santa Fe - The New Mexico Environment Department's Drinking Water Bureau issued a "boil water advisory" for the Vermejo Park Headquarters Water System.

NMED issued the advisory on August 27, 2015 after bacteriological contamination (E. Coli) was detected in repeat drinking water samples from the water system's distribution system. NMED required Vermejo Park Headquarters Water System to notify water system consumers of this finding and Vermejo Park has been taking the necessary steps to notify its users of the advisory.

Vermejo Park Headquarters Water System is a community public water system that serves approximately 140 people and is located approximately 45 miles west of Raton, NM in Colfax County.

This advisory only applies to the drinking water from the Vermejo Park Headquarters Water System, and does not extend to any other surrounding water systems.

Consumers of the Vermejo Park Headquarters Water System are advised to boil the water for five minutes before drinking, cooking, dishwashing and bathing. The presence of E. coli in water indicates that the water may have been in contact with sewage or animal wastes, and could contain disease-causing organisms. Most strains of E. coli are harmless and live in the intestines of healthy humans and animals. However, a positive test for E. coli in the drinking water supply may indicate the presence of dangerous strains of E. coli or other disease-causing organisms. These types of organisms may cause severe gastrointestinal illness and, in rare cases, death. Children, the elderly and immuno-compromised individuals are at an increased risk for illness.

The NMED Drinking Water Bureau will provide technical assistance to the water system and Vermejo Park Headquarters Water System will continue to test the water until no further threat of contamination remains.

For more information, call Jan Dye, NMED Drinking Water Bureau Compliance Officer, at (575) 445-3621.