Community Water System · PWS NM3508717
Ramah Water & Sanitation District
Ramah, New Mexico 87321 - drinking water served from groundwater sources to 517 people, tracked in EPA SDWIS and UCMR5.
- 517
- People served
- 351
- EPA violations
- 114
- Health-based
- Untested
- UCMR5 result
The verdict
EPA records 351 drinking-water violations at Ramah Water & Sanitation District, 32% of them health-based - above the New Mexico per-system average.
- 351
- Total EPA violations on record
- 32%
- Health-based (MCL / treatment failure)
- 517
- People served by this system
- N/A
- PFAS compounds detected (UCMR5)
Water Quality Snapshot: Ramah Water & Sanitation District
Ramah Water & Sanitation District is a local-owned community water system that delivers drinking water to 517 residents in Ramah, New Mexico (McKinley County) through 152 service connections. Its water is drawn from groundwater sources. EPA's Safe Drinking Water Information System records 351 total violations for this system , of which 114 (32%) are health-based, meaning a contaminant exceeded an EPA Maximum Contaminant Level or a required treatment technique failed. A further 129 monitoring and reporting violations are on file. The most recent violation on record dates to 2024.
The most frequently cited contaminant at this system is Groundwater Rule, recorded in 70 violations (TT, 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. Statewide, 70 of 72 UCMR5-tested systems have reported PFAS detections (97.2%).
Ramah Water & Sanitation District's 351 violations sit above the New Mexico average.
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
- Local
- Connections
- 152
- County
- McKinley
- School/Daycare
- No
- MCL Violations
- 44
- Monitoring Violations
- 129
- Treatment Tech Violations
- 70
Violation History
Contaminant violations recorded by EPA.
| Contaminant | Category | Count | Latest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Groundwater Rule | TT | 70 | 2018 |
| Coliform (TCR) | MR | 47 | 2016 |
| Coliform (TCR) | MCL | 44 | 2016 |
| Consumer Confidence Rule | Other | 44 | 2024 |
| Public Notice | Other | 36 | 2019 |
| Lead and Copper Rule | MR | 36 | 2018 |
| E. COLI | MR | 30 | 2016 |
| Coliform (TCR) | Other | 4 | 2003 |
| Revised Total Coliform Rule | Other | 4 | 2016 |
| Gross Alpha, Excl. Radon and U | MR | 3 | 1996 |
| Combined Uranium | MR | 3 | 1996 |
| Gross Beta Particle Activity | MR | 3 | 1996 |
| Radium-226 | MR | 3 | 1996 |
| Radium-228 | MR | 3 | 1996 |
| Nitrate | MR | 1 | 1983 |
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 Ramah Water & Sanitation District.
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 NM3508717 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | Consumer Confidence Rule | Other | 44 | SDWIS / NM3508717 / 7000 |
| 2019 | Public Notice | Other | 36 | SDWIS / NM3508717 / 7500 |
| 2018 | Groundwater Rule | TT | 70 | SDWIS / NM3508717 / 0700 |
| 2018 | Lead and Copper Rule | MR | 36 | SDWIS / NM3508717 / 5000 |
| 2016 | Coliform (TCR) | MR | 47 | SDWIS / NM3508717 / 3100 |
| 2016 | Coliform (TCR) | MCL | 44 | SDWIS / NM3508717 / 3100 |
| 2016 | E. COLI | MR | 30 | SDWIS / NM3508717 / 3014 |
| 2016 | Revised Total Coliform Rule | Other | 4 | SDWIS / NM3508717 / 8000 |
| 2003 | Coliform (TCR) | Other | 4 | SDWIS / NM3508717 / 3100 |
| 1996 | Gross Alpha, Excl. Radon and U | MR | 3 | SDWIS / NM3508717 / 4000 |
| 1996 | Combined Uranium | MR | 3 | SDWIS / NM3508717 / 4006 |
| 1996 | Gross Beta Particle Activity | MR | 3 | SDWIS / NM3508717 / 4100 |
| 1996 | Radium-226 | MR | 3 | SDWIS / NM3508717 / 4020 |
| 1996 | Radium-228 | MR | 3 | SDWIS / NM3508717 / 4030 |
| 1983 | Nitrate | MR | 1 | SDWIS / NM3508717 / 1040 |
How Ramah Water & Sanitation District Compares
Cross-reference this system's record against state averages and the federal MCL framework for context.
| Metric | Ramah Water & Sanitation District | New Mexico avg | Federal benchmark |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total violations | 351 | 149 | SDWA compliance, any non-zero count is a recorded breach |
| Health-based violations | 114 | 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 | 517 | 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 (EPA proposed extending to 2031, not yet final as of May 2026) |
| Nitrate (as N) | 10 mg/L | Acute health risk for infants |
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Ramah Water & Sanitation District water safe to drink? ▼
How many people does Ramah Water & Sanitation District serve? ▼
What type of violations does Ramah Water & Sanitation District have? ▼
Has PFAS been detected in Ramah Water & Sanitation District water? ▼
What water source does Ramah Water & Sanitation District use? ▼
Where does this data come from? ▼
Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.
Every figure on PlainWater is rendered directly from EPA SDWIS drinking-water data, no number is typed in by an editor. This system's figures are rendered directly from EPA SDWIS data, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.