Community Water System · PWS NM3525833
San Rafael Water & Sanitation District
San Rafael, New Mexico 87051 - drinking water served from groundwater sources to 1,060 people, tracked in EPA SDWIS and UCMR5.
- 1,060
- People served
- 456
- EPA violations
- 116
- Health-based
- Untested
- UCMR5 result
The verdict
EPA records 456 drinking-water violations at San Rafael Water & Sanitation District, 25% of them health-based - above the New Mexico per-system average.
- 456
- Total EPA violations on record
- 25%
- Health-based (MCL / treatment failure)
- 1,060
- People served by this system
- N/A
- PFAS compounds detected (UCMR5)
Water Quality Snapshot: San Rafael Water & Sanitation District
San Rafael Water & Sanitation District is a local-owned community water system that delivers drinking water to 1,060 residents in San Rafael, New Mexico (Cibola County) through 323 service connections. Its water is drawn from groundwater sources. EPA's Safe Drinking Water Information System records 456 total violations for this system , of which 116 (25%) are health-based, meaning a contaminant exceeded an EPA Maximum Contaminant Level or a required treatment technique failed. A further 194 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 91 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%).
San Rafael Water & Sanitation District's 456 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
- 323
- County
- Cibola
- School/Daycare
- No
- MCL Violations
- 21
- Monitoring Violations
- 194
- Treatment Tech Violations
- 95
Violation History
Contaminant violations recorded by EPA.
| Contaminant | Category | Count | Latest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Groundwater Rule | TT | 91 | 2024 |
| Consumer Confidence Rule | Other | 69 | 2023 |
| Public Notice | Other | 58 | 2024 |
| Chlorine | MR | 53 | 2024 |
| Coliform (TCR) | MR | 47 | 2015 |
| Revised Total Coliform Rule | MON | 38 | 2024 |
| Coliform (TCR) | MCL | 21 | 2015 |
| TTHM | MR | 20 | 2019 |
| Total Haloacetic Acids (HAA5) | MR | 20 | 2019 |
| Lead and Copper Rule | MR | 12 | 2013 |
| Revised Total Coliform Rule | Other | 5 | 2016 |
| Coliform (TCR) | Other | 4 | 2002 |
| E. COLI | MR | 4 | 2015 |
| Stage 1 Disinfectants and Disinfection Byproducts Rule | TT | 4 | 2010 |
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 San Rafael 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 NM3525833 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 | Groundwater Rule | TT | 91 | SDWIS / NM3525833 / 0700 |
| 2024 | Public Notice | Other | 58 | SDWIS / NM3525833 / 7500 |
| 2024 | Chlorine | MR | 53 | SDWIS / NM3525833 / 0999 |
| 2024 | Revised Total Coliform Rule | MON | 38 | SDWIS / NM3525833 / 8000 |
| 2023 | Consumer Confidence Rule | Other | 69 | SDWIS / NM3525833 / 7000 |
| 2019 | TTHM | MR | 20 | SDWIS / NM3525833 / 2950 |
| 2019 | Total Haloacetic Acids (HAA5) | MR | 20 | SDWIS / NM3525833 / 2456 |
| 2016 | Revised Total Coliform Rule | Other | 5 | SDWIS / NM3525833 / 8000 |
| 2015 | Coliform (TCR) | MR | 47 | SDWIS / NM3525833 / 3100 |
| 2015 | Coliform (TCR) | MCL | 21 | SDWIS / NM3525833 / 3100 |
| 2015 | E. COLI | MR | 4 | SDWIS / NM3525833 / 3014 |
| 2013 | Lead and Copper Rule | MR | 12 | SDWIS / NM3525833 / 5000 |
| 2010 | Stage 1 Disinfectants and Disinfection Byproducts Rule | TT | 4 | SDWIS / NM3525833 / 0400 |
| 2002 | Coliform (TCR) | Other | 4 | SDWIS / NM3525833 / 3100 |
How San Rafael Water & Sanitation District Compares
Cross-reference this system's record against state averages and the federal MCL framework for context.
| Metric | San Rafael Water & Sanitation District | New Mexico avg | Federal benchmark |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total violations | 456 | 149 | SDWA compliance, any non-zero count is a recorded breach |
| Health-based violations | 116 | 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 | 1,060 | 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 San Rafael Water & Sanitation District water safe to drink? ▼
How many people does San Rafael Water & Sanitation District serve? ▼
What type of violations does San Rafael Water & Sanitation District have? ▼
Has PFAS been detected in San Rafael Water & Sanitation District water? ▼
What water source does San Rafael 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.