SANTA FE – The New Mexico Environment Department's (NMED) Drinking Water Bureau (DWB) is confirming that a "boil water advisory" is required for the Cañada de Los Alamos Mutual Domestic Water Users Association (MDWCA) in Santa Fe County.

Cañada de Los Alamos MDWCA was required to issue the advisory Monday after bacteriological contamination (E. coli) was detected in repeat drinking water samples from the water system's distribution system. New Mexico Drinking Water Regulations require Cañada de Los Alamos MDWCA to notify their water system 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.

Cañada de Los Alamos MDWCA is a community public water system located approximately 10 miles southeast of Santa Fe that serves approximately 54 users. This advisory applies only to the drinking water from the Cañada de Los Alamos MDWCA, and does not extend to any other surrounding water systems.

Cañada de Los Alamos MDWCA users are advised to boil the water for one minute (3 minutes if above 6,500 feet in elevation) before drinking, cooking, washing fruits and vegetables, feeding a baby, brushing teeth, preparing drinks, making ice, and providing drinking water for pets.

The presence of E. coli in water indicates that the water may have been in contact with sewage or animal wastes, 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 NMED Drinking Water Bureau will provide compliance oversight and offer technical assistance to the water system and will require the Cañada de Los Alamos MDWCA to continue to test the water until no further threat of contamination remains.

For more facts about New Mexico's Boil Water Advisories in English and Spanish please visit: https://www.env.nm.gov/drinking_water/boil-water-advisories/ and for more information on today's announcement please call NMED's Drinking Water Bureau Public Water System Supervision Manager, Joe Martinez, at (505) 476-8635.