New Mexico Environment Department

SCIENCE | INNOVATION | COLLABORATION | COMPLIANCE

Assessment of Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl

Substances (PFAS) in Water Resources of
Curry and Roosevelt Counties, New Mexico
NMED Drinking Water Bureau

FREE TESTING OPPORTUNITY for your well(s) this spring!

Sign up now – spots are limited!

Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are a group of man-made chemicals that includes
perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS), GenX, and many other chemicals. They are
also known as “forever chemicals” because they resist degradation in the environment. PFAS have been
manufactured and used in a variety of industries around the globe, including in the United States since the
1940s. PFOA and PFOS have been the most extensively produced and studied of these chemicals.

PFAS are very persistent in the environment and in the human body – they don’t break down and they can
accumulate over time. There is evidence that exposure to PFAS can lead to adverse human health effects.

New Mexico is taking proactive measures to address these pollutants in our vulnerable water resources. The
New Mexico Environment Department (NMED) is studying potential
PFAS contamination in Curry and Roosevelt Counties. This study is a
critical leap forward for state and local officials and the public to
The U.S. Environmental learn about the presence and prevalence of these chemicals
Protection Agency (EPA) has within eastern New Mexico’s groundwater supplies.
set a non-regulatory Lifetime
What is being sampled?
Health Advisory of 70 parts
per trillion for two PFAS • Samples are tested for the presence and levels of up
to 33 different PFAS compounds, including PFOA and
chemicals, PFOA and PFOS. PFOS – the two most widely known PFAS chemicals.
There are currently no
enforceable drinking water Scope and process
standards for PFAS in • Depending on your location, one or several of your
New Mexico. groundwater wells can be sampled at no cost to you.
Samples will be collected March - May 2021. Experienced field
samplers from NMED or the U.S. Geological Survey under contract
with NMED will take the sample at a convenient time. You would only
need to provide access to well(s) on your property.
 How do I sign up?
Please email NMENV-DWB-PFAS@state.nm.us or call 505-660-3391.
Sign up as soon as possible to secure your spot!

When will I know the results?

NMED experts will conduct a monthly review of received sampling data approximately monthly before final
approval. Well owners will be contacted by NMED via letter with their results within two weeks of the data
integrity review. Results will also be made available through the public NMED PFAS webpage:
https://www.env.nm.gov/pfas/
How much will the study cost and when will it be completed?
• Projected total cost: $100,000 (funded by the New Mexico Legislature through a Special Appropriation to
NMED for Fiscal Year 2021).
• Project timeframe: March to June 2021 (sampling will end in May 2021).

Next steps:
This effort is part of a larger statewide strategy to better understand PFAS in our environment so that New
Mexico can take appropriate action to protect human health and the environment.

Following the conclusion of this study, next steps could include additional sampling, source investigations,
public engagement campaigns, and treatment of contaminated water.

For more information, please contact:

Drinking Water Bureau

New Mexico Environment Department
Phone: 505-660-3391
NMENV-DWB-PFAS@state.nm.us
https://www.env.nm.gov/pfas/

New Mexico Environment Department 1190 St. Francis Drive, Santa Fe, NM 87505
800-219-6157 https://www.env.nm.gov/