COCHITI LAKE RECREATION AREA
PWS ID: NM3590023 · PENA BLANCA, New Mexico 87041
COCHITI LAKE RECREATION AREA serves 105 people in PENA BLANCA, New Mexico using Groundwater water sources. It has 62 recorded EPA violations, including 19 health-based violations. No PFAS contamination was detected in UCMR5 testing.
Water Quality Snapshot: COCHITI LAKE RECREATION AREA
COCHITI LAKE RECREATION AREA is a federal-owned transient non-community water system that delivers drinking water to 105 residents in PENA BLANCA, New Mexico (Sandoval County) through 39 service connections. Its water is drawn from groundwater sources. EPA's Safe Drinking Water Information System records 62 total violations for this system , of which 19 (31%) are health-based — meaning a contaminant exceeded an EPA Maximum Contaminant Level or a required treatment technique failed. A further 23 monitoring and reporting violations are on file. The most recent violation on record dates to 2017.
The most frequently cited contaminant at this system is Coliform (TCR), recorded in 19 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. COCHITI LAKE RECREATION AREA's 62 violations sit below 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
- Transient Non-Community
- Owner Type
- Federal
- Connections
- 39
- County
- Sandoval
- School/Daycare
- No
- MCL Violations
- 19
- Monitoring Violations
- 23
- Treatment Tech Violations
- 0
Violation History
Contaminant violations recorded by EPA.
| Contaminant | Category | Count | Latest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Coliform (TCR) | MCL | 19 | 2007 |
| Coliform (TCR) | MR | 12 | 2003 |
| Nitrate-Nitrite | MR | 11 | 2014 |
| Public Notice | Other | 10 | 2017 |
| Revised Total Coliform Rule | Other | 3 | 2016 |
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 COCHITI LAKE RECREATION AREA.
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 NM3590023 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2017 | Public Notice | Other | 10 | SDWIS / NM3590023 / 7500 |
| 2016 | Revised Total Coliform Rule | Other | 3 | SDWIS / NM3590023 / 8000 |
| 2014 | Nitrate-Nitrite | MR | 11 | SDWIS / NM3590023 / 1038 |
| 2007 | Coliform (TCR) | MCL | 19 | SDWIS / NM3590023 / 3100 |
| 2003 | Coliform (TCR) | MR | 12 | SDWIS / NM3590023 / 3100 |
How COCHITI LAKE RECREATION AREA Compares
Cross-reference this system's record against state averages and the federal MCL framework for context.
| Metric | COCHITI LAKE RECREATION AREA | New Mexico avg | Federal benchmark |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total violations | 62 | 149 | SDWA compliance — any non-zero count is a recorded breach |
| Health-based violations | 19 | 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 | 105 | 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 COCHITI LAKE RECREATION AREA water safe to drink? ▼
How many people does COCHITI LAKE RECREATION AREA serve? ▼
What type of violations does COCHITI LAKE RECREATION AREA have? ▼
Has PFAS been detected in COCHITI LAKE RECREATION AREA water? ▼
What water source does COCHITI LAKE RECREATION AREA use? ▼
Where does this data come from? ▼
Explore PlainWater
Related Data for New Mexico
Read our methodology — how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.