DESERT SKY MOUNTAIN WATER COOPERATIVE
PWS ID: NM3501223 · PLACITAS, New Mexico 87043
DESERT SKY MOUNTAIN WATER COOPERATIVE serves 187 people in PLACITAS, New Mexico using Groundwater water sources. It has 222 recorded EPA violations, including 177 health-based violations. No PFAS contamination was detected in UCMR5 testing.
Water Quality Snapshot: DESERT SKY MOUNTAIN WATER COOPERATIVE
DESERT SKY MOUNTAIN WATER COOPERATIVE is a private-owned community water system that delivers drinking water to 187 residents in PLACITAS, New Mexico (Sandoval County) through 66 service connections. Its water is drawn from groundwater sources. EPA's Safe Drinking Water Information System records 222 total violations for this system , of which 177 (80%) are health-based — meaning a contaminant exceeded an EPA Maximum Contaminant Level or a required treatment technique failed. A further 36 monitoring and reporting violations are on file. The most recent violation on record dates to 2025.
The most frequently cited contaminant at this system is Arsenic, recorded in 165 violations (MCL, health-based). This system has not yet been sampled under EPA's UCMR5 PFAS monitoring program, so no PFAS detection data is available here.
Across New Mexico, EPA tracks 1,037 public water systems serving 2,027,497 people, with 154,522 cumulative violations and 38,650 health-based violations on record. About 97% of systems in the state carry at least one violation, and state-wide the average per system is 149 violations. DESERT SKY MOUNTAIN WATER COOPERATIVE's 222 violations sit above the New Mexico average. Statewide, 70 of 72 UCMR5-tested systems have reported PFAS detections (97.2%). All figures above are sourced directly from EPA SDWIS and UCMR5 public data releases and are updated as EPA publishes new reporting cycles.
System Details
- System Type
- Community
- Owner Type
- Private
- Connections
- 66
- County
- Sandoval
- School/Daycare
- No
- MCL Violations
- 165
- Monitoring Violations
- 36
- Treatment Tech Violations
- 12
Violation History
Contaminant violations recorded by EPA.
| Contaminant | Category | Count | Latest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Arsenic | MCL | 165 | 2025 |
| Lead and Copper Rule | MR | 20 | 2025 |
| TTHM | MR | 8 | 2014 |
| Total Haloacetic Acids (HAA5) | MR | 8 | 2014 |
| Groundwater Rule | TT | 8 | 2016 |
| Public Notice | Other | 5 | 2012 |
| LEAD AND COPPER RULE REVISIONS | TT | 4 | 2024 |
| LEAD AND COPPER RULE REVISIONS | RPT | 3 | 2024 |
Verify This Water System
The figures above are aggregated from EPA's public databases. To verify the underlying records — or to file a complaint, request a Consumer Confidence Report, or check current monitoring status — go directly to the federal and state regulators that enforce the Safe Drinking Water Act for DESERT SKY MOUNTAIN WATER COOPERATIVE.
EPA SDWIS — Federal Reports
EPA's Safe Drinking Water Information System (SDWIS) holds the federal compliance record for every regulated public water system. Open the system-level report by PWS ID:
View PWS ID NM3501223 on SDWISSource: EPA SDWIS Federal Reports Search
New Mexico Drinking Water Authority
New Mexico's primacy agency administers the Safe Drinking Water Act locally. Search EPA SDWIS for the current state contact, or use the state's public health or environment department portal.
Find NM regulator via EPA SDWISViolation Timeline
Each row links to the EPA SDWIS public record for verification. Cross-reference the contaminant code on EPA's federal report to see violation dates, return-to-compliance status, and enforcement actions.
| Year (latest) | Contaminant | Category | Count | EPA Record |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Arsenic | MCL | 165 | SDWIS / NM3501223 / 1005 |
| 2025 | Lead and Copper Rule | MR | 20 | SDWIS / NM3501223 / 5000 |
| 2024 | LEAD AND COPPER RULE REVISIONS | TT | 4 | SDWIS / NM3501223 / 5200 |
| 2024 | LEAD AND COPPER RULE REVISIONS | RPT | 3 | SDWIS / NM3501223 / 5200 |
| 2016 | Groundwater Rule | TT | 8 | SDWIS / NM3501223 / 0700 |
| 2014 | TTHM | MR | 8 | SDWIS / NM3501223 / 2950 |
| 2014 | Total Haloacetic Acids (HAA5) | MR | 8 | SDWIS / NM3501223 / 2456 |
| 2012 | Public Notice | Other | 5 | SDWIS / NM3501223 / 7500 |
How DESERT SKY MOUNTAIN WATER COOPERATIVE Compares
Cross-reference this system's record against state averages and the federal MCL framework for context.
| Metric | DESERT SKY MOUNTAIN WATER COOPERATIVE | New Mexico avg | Federal benchmark |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total violations | 222 | 149 | SDWA compliance — any non-zero count is a recorded breach |
| Health-based violations | 177 | 37.3 | Indicates a contaminant exceeded a federal MCL |
| PFAS detection | None | 97.2% | EPA final rule (2024): PFOA/PFOS MCL = 4.0 ppt |
| Population served | 187 | 1,955 | Sizing context for compliance burden |
Sources: EPA SDWIS and EPA National Primary Drinking Water Regulations (40 CFR Part 141). State averages computed across 1,037 regulated public water systems in New Mexico.
Federal MCL reference — Safe Drinking Water Act thresholds ▼
| Contaminant | Federal MCL / Action Level | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Lead | 0 mg/L (Action Level: 0.015 mg/L) | Lead and Copper Rule treatment technique |
| Arsenic | 0.010 mg/L (10 ppb) | Health-based MCL since 2006 |
| Total Coliform | Treatment technique (RTCR) | Indicator organism, monitoring trigger |
| PFOA / PFOS (PFAS) | 4.0 ppt each (final 2024 rule) | Compliance deadline 2029 |
| Nitrate (as N) | 10 mg/L | Acute health risk for infants |
Frequently Asked Questions
Is DESERT SKY MOUNTAIN WATER COOPERATIVE water safe to drink? ▼
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Has PFAS been detected in DESERT SKY MOUNTAIN WATER COOPERATIVE water? ▼
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Related Data for New Mexico
Read our methodology — how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.