The tap water supplied by the Albuquerque Bernalillo County Water Utility Authority (ABCWUA) is consistently reported to be safe to drink, meeting or exceeding all federal and state regulatory standards for public water systems. The utility serves over 600,000 residents across Albuquerque and neighboring areas of Bernalillo County, providing water that is subject to continuous, rigorous testing. While the water meets all legal standards, the quality is a blend of sources, and local factors, such as home plumbing, can influence the final water quality delivered to the tap. This article explores the sources, monitoring, localized concerns, and steps consumers can take to understand their water quality.
Albuquerque’s Water Source and Quality Assessment
Albuquerque’s drinking water comes from a combination of surface water and groundwater sources, managed through a strategy to ensure supply reliability and quality. The primary source is surface water imported from the Colorado River Basin via the San Juan-Chama Project, which diverts water into the Rio Grande. This surface water is treated at the San Juan-Chama Drinking Water Treatment Plant before distribution.
The supplementary source is groundwater drawn from the deep Santa Fe Group Aquifer system beneath the city. Historically, the city relied almost entirely on this aquifer, but increasing reliance on surface water began in 2008 to preserve the groundwater supply and meet stricter federal standards for naturally occurring contaminants. The final water delivered to customers is a blend of treated surface water and groundwater, which allows the utility to manage the overall water chemistry.
This blending process affects the water’s hardness, which is primarily due to calcium and magnesium ions. Surface water tends to be moderately hard, typically measuring 7 to 10 grains per gallon (gpg), while the groundwater from the aquifer is naturally much harder, often ranging from 9 to 18 gpg. Although hard water can cause scaling in appliances and affect soap efficiency, it is not considered a health risk and, in fact, contributes minor amounts of beneficial minerals.
Regulatory Monitoring and Contaminant Testing
The framework for ensuring the safety of Albuquerque’s drinking water is established by the federal Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA), which mandates standards set by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). The New Mexico Environment Department (NMED) works with the EPA to enforce these standards and conducts source water assessments to identify potential contamination risks. The ABCWUA is responsible for the continuous, hands-on testing that keeps the system in compliance.
The utility collects and tests thousands of water samples annually from various points, including wells, storage tanks, and customer taps, often exceeding the required federal testing frequency. This comprehensive monitoring program checks for a wide range of substances, including microbial contaminants like bacteria and viruses. It also tracks inorganic contaminants like metals, salts, and radioactive elements, as well as organic chemicals and pesticides.
A significant focus of the testing involves disinfection byproducts (DBPs), such as trihalomethanes, which are formed when disinfectants like chlorine or chloramines react with natural organic matter in the source water. While these disinfectants are necessary to prevent waterborne diseases, the byproducts themselves are regulated due to potential long-term health concerns. The ABCWUA must maintain a careful balance to ensure adequate disinfection while keeping DBP levels below the EPA’s Maximum Contaminant Levels (MCLs).
Localized Concerns and Infrastructure Impact
The Southwest region presents specific challenges due to the natural geology, which contributes to higher background levels of certain inorganic contaminants in the source water. Arsenic is a naturally occurring heavy metal in the deep aquifer system, and its presence was one of the driving forces behind the city’s increased use of lower-arsenic surface water. Although the ABCWUA treats the water and blends the sources to keep arsenic levels below the federal MCL of 10 parts per billion, the natural presence of this element requires ongoing treatment and monitoring.
Uranium is another naturally occurring radioactive contaminant found in the region’s geology that must be addressed through treatment. While the utility successfully treats the source water to meet federal standards, water quality can change significantly once it leaves the treatment plant and enters the distribution system. This change is especially noticeable at the point of delivery within a home or building.
The condition of private plumbing is often the primary source of localized contamination, particularly concerning lead. Although the city’s main distribution lines are not made of lead, older homes may have lead service lines, lead solder connecting copper pipes, or brass fixtures that can leach the metal into the water. The ABCWUA addresses this by maintaining a protective coating inside the distribution pipes, but homeowners are responsible for the plumbing within their property, which is where lead exposure typically occurs.
Accessing Quality Reports and Consumer Action
To keep residents informed, the ABCWUA releases an annual Consumer Confidence Report (CCR), which details the water’s source, the contaminants detected, and compliance with regulatory standards. This report is the most direct way for consumers to review the specific scientific data and testing results for their service area. The CCR is made publicly available and provides a clear picture of the water quality leaving the utility’s system.
For consumers who want to take additional steps, home filtration systems can be a practical option. Even though the tap water meets all safety standards, some residents choose filtration to address aesthetic issues, such as the moderate hardness or the residual taste of chlorine. Simple carbon filters can effectively remove chlorine and improve taste, while more advanced systems like reverse osmosis are capable of reducing a wider range of contaminants, including naturally occurring metals like arsenic and lead leached from plumbing.
Residents with specific health vulnerabilities or those living in older homes with known lead plumbing concerns might consider point-of-use filters certified to remove lead. If a consumer suspects a specific issue with their water quality, such as an unusual odor, color, or taste, they can contact the ABCWUA directly to report the concern or request specific testing. Understanding the CCR and the condition of one’s own home plumbing allows consumers to make informed decisions about their tap water use.