Environment department offering free water well testing

SANTA FE — The New Mexico Environment Department is offering free water well testing in Curry and Roosevelt counties for the “forever chemicals of PFAS.

Signup is available by calling 505-660-3391 or emailing [email protected].

The chemicals, which the U.S. Air Force acknowledged were present in groundwater surrounding Cannon Air Force Base two years ago, are scientifically known as per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances. The chemicals are present in numerous everyday objects like fast food wrappers and nonstick cooking pans.

They are extremely resistant to degradation, which makes them extremely effective in aqueous firefighting foams used my military fire departments for petroleum-based fires. For the same reason, nobody wants the chemicals in their water supply. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has set a non-regulatory lifetime health advisory of 70 parts per trillion, but no enforceable drinking water standards exist.

Well samples will be collected through May, with field samplers needing brief access to wells on an applicant’s property.

Well owners will be contacted within a few weeks by letter, and results will be posted at env.nm.gov/pfas.