Santa Fe, NM Water Quality Report
Is Santa Fe tap water safe? See PFAS and lead contamination levels for Santa Fe, New Mexico. Compare to EPA limits and get filter recommendations.
Quick Answers
Is Santa Fe tap water safe to drink? Santa Fe water has high PFAS contamination. EPA UCMR5 testing detected a peak level of 130 ppt, significantly above the EPA's 4 ppt enforceable limit. A reverse osmosis or certified PFAS filter is strongly recommended.
What contaminants are in Santa Fe water? Top PFAS compounds detected in Santa Fe water: lithium (130 ppt). See the full table for all monitored contaminants and comparison to EPA limits.
What filter should I use in Santa Fe? 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.
Santa Fe Water Quality Summary
EPA testing has detected PFAS "forever chemicals" in Santa Fe drinking water. Recent monitoring found a peak level of 130 ppt across 3 water systems, representing an average of 44.58 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: 130 ppt (exceeds EPA 4 ppt limit for PFOA/PFOS)
Lead in Santa Fe Water
EPA Lead and Copper Rule testing has recorded 49 lead samples for Santa Fe water systems, with a 90th-percentile high of 0.11 mg/L (above 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 Santa Fe
Santa Fe public water systems have 19 health-based EPA Safe Drinking Water Act violations on record, including Surface Water Treatment Rule, Chromium, Combined Uranium, Lead & Copper Rule. 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 Santa Fe: approximately 84,683.
ZIP Codes Served
What Santa Fe Residents Should Do
- Enter your exact ZIP code at knowyourexposure.com for address-level data
- Install an NSF/ANSI 58 reverse osmosis filter (removes 94-99% of PFAS)
- If you're in a high-exposure group (pregnant, young children), consider a PFAS home test kit
- Review your utility's Consumer Confidence Report (CCR) annually