Bernalillo County, New Mexico: drinking water report. Bernalillo County – Albuquerque and surrounding communities – serves about 680,000 residents.
Bernalillo County – Albuquerque and surrounding communities – serves about 680,000 residents. The Albuquerque Bernalillo County Water Utility Authority draws from the San Juan-Chama Diversion Project (surface water from the Colorado River basin) and groundwater from the Albuquerque Basin aquifer. For decades, Albuquerque relied entirely on groundwater, but declining aquifer levels forced the 2008 opening of the San Juan-Chama Drinking Water Project to shift to surface water as the primary source.
The transition from groundwater to surface water changed the county's water quality profile. Surface water from the San Juan-Chama project requires more treatment than the deep aquifer water Albuquerque used previously, and some residents noticed taste changes. The utility blends surface and groundwater to manage both quality and supply.
UCMR5 data shows PFAS detections in the Albuquerque system. Kirtland Air Force Base, which occupies a large area in the southeast part of the city, has documented both PFAS and jet fuel contamination in groundwater. According to the New Mexico Environment Department, the Kirtland fuel plume – estimated at 24 million gallons of jet fuel – has been migrating toward the city's drinking water wellfield for years. PFAS contamination adds another dimension to this ongoing cleanup.
The Kirtland AFB contamination is the most significant localized water quality threat in the county. If you live in the southeast heights near the base, monitoring data for your area is especially important.
Check your water for current data in your ZIP code. Reverse osmosis handles both PFAS and petroleum-related compounds. Our water filter guide covers options. Pull your detailed report, and visit our New Mexico page for statewide context.