Rio Rancho, NM Water Quality Report

Is Rio Rancho tap water safe? See PFAS and lead contamination levels for Rio Rancho, New Mexico. Compare to EPA limits and get filter recommendations.

Quick Answers

Is Rio Rancho tap water safe to drink? Rio Rancho water has high PFAS contamination. EPA UCMR5 testing detected a peak level of 393 ppt, significantly above the EPA's 4 ppt enforceable limit. A reverse osmosis or certified PFAS filter is strongly recommended.

What contaminants are in Rio Rancho water? Top PFAS compounds detected in Rio Rancho water: lithium (393 ppt). See the full table for all monitored contaminants and comparison to EPA limits.

What filter should I use in Rio Rancho? Reverse osmosis removes 90%+ of PFAS, lead, and arsenic. NSF-53 certified pitcher and faucet filters (ZeroWater, Clearly Filtered, LifeStraw) work for smaller households. Skip standard Brita filters for PFAS removal.

Rio Rancho Water Quality Summary

EPA testing has detected PFAS "forever chemicals" in Rio Rancho drinking water. Recent monitoring found a peak level of 393 ppt across 1 water system, representing an average of 257.97 ppt across 1 detected compound.

Contamination Level: HIGH – High contamination – multiple PFAS compounds detected at levels significantly above EPA safety thresholds.

Top Detected Compounds

  • lithium: 393 ppt (exceeds EPA 4 ppt limit for PFOA/PFOS)

Lead in Rio Rancho Water

EPA Lead and Copper Rule testing has recorded 16 lead samples for Rio Rancho water systems, with a 90th-percentile high of 0.002 mg/L (within the EPA 0.015 mg/L action level). There is no safe level of lead for children; if your home was built before 1986, a certified NSF/ANSI 53 lead-removal filter is recommended.

EPA Violations in Rio Rancho

Rio Rancho public water systems have 35 health-based EPA Safe Drinking Water Act violations on record, including Chromium, Surface Water Treatment Rule, Haloacetic Acids (HAA5), Nitrate, Arsenic. Health-based violations mean a contaminant exceeded its federal limit or required treatment was not applied.

About the Data

These figures come from the EPA's Unregulated Contaminant Monitoring Rule 5 (UCMR5) testing program, 2023-2025. UCMR5 is the most comprehensive national drinking water survey in US history, covering 66,000+ public water systems. Population of Rio Rancho: approximately 104,046.

ZIP Codes Served

87124, 87144

What Rio Rancho Residents Should Do

  1. Enter your exact ZIP code at knowyourexposure.com for address-level data
  2. Install an NSF/ANSI 58 reverse osmosis filter (removes 94-99% of PFAS)
  3. If you're in a high-exposure group (pregnant, young children), consider a PFAS home test kit
  4. Review your utility's Consumer Confidence Report (CCR) annually