10-16-2024 2:43am

NMED confirms boil water advisory for Pine River MDCA Water System

Chris Edwards Editor

The New Mexico Environment Department’s Drinking Water Bureau is confirming a “boil water advisory” is required for the Pine River MDCA Water System in San Juan County. Pine River MDCA Water System was required to issue the advisory on Oct. 10, 2024, after bacteriological contamination (E. coli) was confirmed in drinking water in the system. New Mexico drinking water regulations require water systems to notify their consumers of this finding as soon as practical, but no later than 24 hours after the system is notified of the confirmation of the violation.

Pine River MDCA Water System is a community public water system serving approximately 44 users. This advisory applies only to drinking water from the Pine River MDCA Water System and does not extend to any surrounding water systems.

The Pine River MDCA Water System users impacted by this advisory are advised to boil water for three minutes before:

• Drinking

• Making coffee, tea and other drinks

• Making ice

• Cooking

• Washing fruits and vegetables

• Using water to feed a baby

• Brushing teeth

• Providing as drinking water for pets

The presence of E. coli in water indicates the water may have been in contact with sewage or animal waste and could contain disease-causing organisms. Most strains of E. coli are harmless and live in the intestines of healthy humans and animals. However, a positive test for E. coli in the drinking water supply may indicate the presence of dangerous strains of E. coli or other disease-causing organisms. These types of organisms may cause severe gastrointestinal illness and, in rare cases, death. Children, the elderly and immuno-compromised individuals are at an increased risk for illness.

The Drinking Water Bureau will provide compliance oversight and offer technical assistance to the water system. The Bureau will require Pine River MDCA Water System to continue to test the water until no further threat of contamination remains.

More information about New Mexico’s boil water advisories in English and Spanish is available here. For more information about today’s announcement, please call Wayne Jeffs of the Drinking Water Bureau at (505) 469-7457.