Water Quality: Ruidoso, NM
2 water systems • 16,014 people served
Multiple Health ViolationsWater Quality Summary
Ruidoso is served by 2 public water systems with a combined service population of 16,014 people, and has 116 EPA Safe Drinking Water Act violations on record. Critically, 14 of those are health-based violations, meaning one or more contaminants were detected above EPA-established safe levels — a serious public health concern. Ruidoso's violation count is 31% below the national average for New Mexico. Contaminants associated with violations include Contaminant 2920, Fecal Coliform, TTHM.
Contaminants Found
Indicates direct fecal contamination; associated with diarrhea, cramps, nausea, and potential severe illness.
Common source: Human and animal fecal waste
EPA limit: Zero tolerance (any positive triggers violations)
Total trihalomethanes are linked to increased risk of bladder cancer and adverse reproductive outcomes.
Common source: Reaction of chlorine disinfectants with naturally occurring organic matter in water
EPA limit: 0.080 mg/L (80 ppb)
Water Systems Serving Ruidoso
| System Name | PWSID | Source | Population | Violations |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| RUIDOSO WATER SYSTEM | NM3513114 | Surface Water | 15,947 | 50 |
| ALPINE VILLAGE W AND SD | NM3558014 | Groundwater | 67 | 66 |
Concerned About Your Water?
A home water filter can remove common contaminants. NSF-certified filters are tested against EPA standards.
Consider a reverse osmosis system for comprehensive filtration or a carbon filter for basic improvement.
Other Cities in New Mexico
Data Sources
Drinking water violation data from the EPA Safe Drinking Water Information System (SDWIS). Data includes all recorded violations for active community water systems.