La Luz MDWCA 2024 Consumer Confidence Report

Is my water safe?

We are pleased to present this year's Annual Water Quality Report (Consumer Confidence Report) as required by the Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA). This report is designed to provide details about where your water comes from, what it contains, and how it compares to standards set by regulatory agencies. This report is a snapshot of last year's water quality. We are committed to providing you with information because informed customers are our best allies.

Do I need to take special precautions?

 Some people may be more vulnerable to contaminants in drinking water than the general population. Immuno-compromised persons such as persons with cancer undergoing chemotherapy, persons who have undergone organ transplants, people with HIV/AIDS or other immune system disorders, some elderly, and infants can be particularly at risk from infections. These people should seek advice about drinking water from their health care providers. EPA/Centers for Disease Control (CDC) guidelines on appropriate means to lessen the risk of infection by Cryptosporidium and other microbial contaminants are available from the Safe Water Drinking Hotline (800-426- 4791).

Where does my water come from?

La Luz MDWCA draws its surface water from La Luz Creek and Fresnal Canyon which originates in the Sacramento Mountains. The Association also draws ground water from five wells.

Source water assessment and its availability

La Luz MDWCA has developed a Source Water Assessment and Protection Program

which is available at the water office or contact the Drinking Water Bureau at 505-476- 8760 or toll free 1-877-654-8720.

Why are there contaminants in my drinking water?

Drinking water, including bottled water, may reasonably be expected to contain at least small amounts of some contaminants. The presence of contaminants does not necessarily indicate that water poses a health risk. More information about contaminants and potential health effects can be obtained by calling the Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) Safe Drinking Water Hotline (800-426-4791). The sources of drinking water (both tap water and bottled water) include rivers, lakes, streams, ponds, reservoirs, springs, and wells. As water travels over the surface of the land or through the ground, it dissolves naturally occurring minerals and, in some cases, radioactive material, and can pick up substances resulting from the presence of animals or from human activity:

microbial contaminants, such as viruses and bacteria, that may come from sewage treatment plants, septic systems, agricultural livestock operations, and wildlife; inorganic contaminants, such as salts and metals, which can be naturally occurring or result from urban stormwater runoff, industrial, or domestic wastewater discharges, oil and gas production, mining, or farming; pesticides and herbicides, which may come from a variety of sources such as agriculture, urban stormwater runoff, and residential uses; organic Chemical Contaminants, including synthetic and volatile organic chemicals, which are by-products of industrial processes and petroleum production, and can also come from gas stations, urban stormwater runoff, and septic systems; and radioactive contaminants, which can be naturally occurring or be the result of oil and gas production and mining activities. In order to ensure that tap water is safe to drink, EPA prescribes regulations that limit the amount of certain contaminants in water provided by public water systems. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) regulations establish limits for contaminants in bottled water which must provide the same protection for public health.

How can I get involved? 

Association members can get involved by attending monthly meetings held every third Tuesday of the month at the La Luz MDWCA Office at 76 Section Road. Meeting starts at 7:00 PM.

Description of Water Treatment Process

Your water is treated by filtration and disinfection. Filtration removes particles suspended in the source water. Particles typically include clays and silts, natural organic matter, iron and manganese, and microorganisms. Your water is also treated by disinfection. Disinfection involves the addition of chlorine or other disinfectants to kill bacteria and other microorganisms (viruses, cysts, etc.) that may be in the water.

Disinfection is considered to be one of the major public health advances of the 20th century.

Water Conservation Tips 

Did you know that the average U.S. household uses approximately 400 gallons of water per day or 100 gallons per person per day? Luckily, there are many low-cost and no-cost ways to conserve water. Small changes can make a big difference - try one today and soon it will become second nature.

• Take short showers - a 5-minute shower uses 4 to 5 gallons of water compared to up to 50 gallons for a bath.
• Shut off water while brushing your teeth, washing your hair and shaving and save up to 500 gallons a month.
• Use a water-efficient They're inexpensive, easy to install, and can save you up to 750 gallons a month.
• Run your clothes washer and dishwasher only when they are You can save up to 1,000 gallons a month.
• Water plants only when
• Fix leaky toilets and faucets. Faucet washers are inexpensive and take only a few minutes to replace. To check your toilet for a leak, place a few drops of food coloring in the tank and If it seeps into the toilet bowl without flushing, you have a leak. Fixing it or replacing it with a new, more efficient model can save up to 1,000 gallons a month.
• Adjust sprinklers so only your lawn is Apply water only as fast as the soil can absorb it and during the cooler parts of the day to reduce evaporation.
• Teach your kids about water conservation to ensure a future generation that uses water wisely. Make it a family effort to reduce next month's water bill!
• Visit epa.gov/watersense for more information.

Source Water Protection Tips

Protection of drinking water is everyone's responsibility. You can help protect your community's drinking water source in several ways:

• Eliminate excess use of lawn and garden fertilizers and pesticides - they contain hazardous chemicals that can reach your drinking water source.
• Pick up after your
• If you have your own septic system, properly maintain your system to reduce leaching to water sources or consider connecting to a public water system.
• Dispose of chemicals properly; take used motor oil to a recycling
• Volunteer in your community. Find a watershed or wellhead protection organization in your community and volunteer to help. If there are no active groups, consider starting Use EPA's Adopt Your Watershed to locate groups in your community or visit the Watershed Information Network's How to Start a Watershed Team.
• Organize a storm drain stenciling project with your local government or water supplier. Stencil a message next to the street drain reminding people "Dump No Waste - Drains to River" or "Protect Your Water." Produce and distribute a flyer for households to remind residents that storm drains dump directly into your local water body.

Additional Information for Lead

La Luz MDWCA was required by the EPA to submit a lead line inventory to NMED - Drinking Water Bureau in September 2024. Our system does not include lead service lines. The entire system was installed all PVC in the system since 2004.

Lead can cause serious health problems, especially for pregnant women and young children. Lead in drinking water is primarily from materials and components associated with service lines and home plumbing. LA LUZ MDWCA is responsible for providing high quality drinking water and removing lead pipes but cannot control the variety of materials used in plumbing components in your home. You share the responsibility for protecting yourself and your family from the lead in your home plumbing. You can take responsibility by identifying and removing lead materials within your home plumbing

and taking steps to reduce your family’s risk. Before drinking tap water, flush your pipes for several minutes by running your tap, taking a shower, doing laundry or a load of dishes. You can also use a filter certified by an American National Standards Institute accredited certifier to reduce lead in drinking water. If you are concerned about lead in your water and wish to have your water tested, contact LA LUZ MDWCA (Public Water System Id: NM3513719) by calling 575-437-7717 or emailing [email protected] Information on lead in drinking water, testing methods, and steps you can take to minimize exposure is available at http://www.epa.gov/safewater/lead

Water Quality Data Table

In order to ensure that tap water is safe to drink, EPA prescribes regulations which limit the amount of contaminants in water provided by public water systems. The table below lists all of the drinking water contaminants that we detected during the calendar year of this report. Although many more contaminants were tested, only those substances listed below were found in your water. All sources of drinking water contain some naturally occurring contaminants. At low levels, these substances are generally not harmful in our drinking water. Removing all contaminants would be extremely expensive, and in most cases, would not provide increased protection of public health. A few naturally occurring minerals may actually improve the taste of drinking water and have nutritional value at low levels. Unless otherwise noted, the data presented in this table is from testing done in the calendar year of the report. The EPA or the State requires us to monitor for certain contaminants less than once per year because the concentrations of these contaminants do not vary significantly from year to year, or the system is not considered vulnerable to this type of contamination. As such, some of our data, though representative, may be more than one year old. In this table you will find terms and abbreviations that might not be familiar to you. To help you better understand these terms, we have provided the definitions below the table.

We received a violation in September 2024 because La Luz MDWCA water system did not complete the monitoring requirements for lead and copper in tap water during the 2002-2004, 2005-2007 & 2008-2010 monitoring periods. No further action was required since the violation occurred >10 years ago and we are back in compliance.

Contact Name: SALAS, CARLOS Address:            PO BOX 35

LA LUZ, NM 88337

Phone:               575-437-7717