States › New Mexico

New Mexico Tap Water Quality 2026

EPA drinking water data for 400 cities across New Mexico — covering lead levels, violation history, and compliance status.

Systems tracked: 310 Cities covered: 400 Updated: 2026 Q2
C

New Mexico earns a C for overall water quality

400 communities across 33 counties and 310 water systems. 79.3% have no open violations.

Median lead where detected: 1.95 ppb
21.8% of systems report lead as not detected — a state filing convention, not a water quality measure
PFAS tested at 25.5% of communities; 1 above the federal limit
Lead reported for 99.8% of communities
79.3% of communities have no open violations
Water Systems
310
Active community systems
Median Lead Level
1.95 ppb
13% of EPA action level
Fully Compliant
79.3%
of systems — no active violations
How we grade states Grades are based on actual EPA enforcement data — MCL violations and lead levels measured against the 15 ppb federal action level. We do not use MCLG-based detections, which are aspirational zero-tolerance goals that would make nearly every state look dangerous. Read our full methodology →

Best & Worst Cities in New Mexico

✓ Cleanest Water
Hobbs
Lea County
1.1 ppb A
Silver City
Grant County
0.8 ppb A
Holloman AFB
Otero County
1.3 ppb A
Meadow Lake
Valencia County
0.0 ppb B
Ruidoso Downs
Lincoln County
1.5 ppb B
Bayard
Grant County
2.1 ppb B
⚠ Needs Attention
Escudilla Bonita
Catron County
34.0 ppb F
Maxwell
Colfax County
17.0 ppb F
Aragon
Catron County
26.0 ppb F
San Lorenzo
Grant County
0.0 ppb F
Casas Adobes
Grant County
0.0 ppb F
Chupadero
Santa Fe County
2.0 ppb F

Water Quality by County

33 of 33
Sort:
CountySystemsLead LevelViolationsGrade
Santa Fe County 44 2.4 ppb 0 C
Rio Arriba County 36 1.7 ppb 0 C
Dona Ana County 29 1.8 ppb 0 B
Sandoval County 24 1.6 ppb 0 C
San Juan County 24 0.8 ppb 0 C
Bernalillo County 20 1.3 ppb 0 B
Cibola County 17 2.5 ppb 0 C
Taos County 17 2.6 ppb 0 C
Otero County 17 2.4 ppb 0 C
McKinley County 16 3.6 ppb 0 C

About New Mexico Drinking Water

New Mexico is served by 310 community water systems covering 400 communities across 33 counties. 79.3% have no open violation on record.

Lead was detected in 312 communities, with a median of 1.95 ppb — 13% of the federal action level. A further 87 reported none detected. That share is a state reporting convention rather than a measure of water quality, so it is stated separately rather than averaged in.

PFAS has been tested at 25.5% of communities here, and 1 are above the limits EPA set in 2024. Coverage matters: states that test more find more, so this figure is not comparable with a state that has tested less.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is New Mexico tap water safe to drink? ▼
79.3% of communities have no open violation on record. 1 have PFAS above the federal limit set in 2024, which is the main open concern.
Does New Mexico have a lead problem? ▼
14 water systems report a 90th-percentile lead result at or above the 15 ppb action level. The action level is a treatment trigger, not a legal maximum, and 87 communities report no detection at all.
How complete is the data for New Mexico? ▼
Lead results are reported for 99.8% of communities and PFAS for 25.5%. Where a figure is missing it is shown as not reported rather than assumed safe.
How does New Mexico compare with other states? ▼
We do not rank states against each other. Lead reporting completeness ranges from under 20% to 100% depending on the state, so a national ranking would compare filing practice rather than water quality.