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Our primary responsibility is to provide clean, safe drinking water to our customers and we take that responsibility very seriously.

Our water quality experts have been closely following the national study of man-made substances called per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), often associated with fire-fighting foams and other commonly used household and daily use products. In fact, these man-made substances are so common across the United States that independent scientific research suggests almost everyone has had contact with PFAS at some point.

The Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) Safe Drinking Water Standards are considered the world's gold standard for drinking water safety. While there is no current EPA requirement to treat PFAS substances, the EPA has issued a recommendation that concentrations of two individual PFAS contaminants in drinking water – PFOS and PFOA – not exceed 70 parts per trillion (ppt), combined. To put that into perspective, one part per trillion is the equivalent of a single drop of water in an Olympic-size swimming pool. The EPA has determined that its recommended level provides even the most sensitive populations with a margin of protection from a lifetime of exposure to PFOA and PFOS from drinking water.

We recently received results that, for the first time, indicated an extremely low presence (between 4 and 7 ppt) of PFAS at an entry point to the Clovis drinking water system for several wells.

    • 90% of our wells show no PFAS indication – the handful that did measured at very low levels.
    • None of the results came close to the EPA's health-based recommended advisory level.
    • None of your water comes from the area surrounding the Cannon plume.

There is no health concern but we took extra steps just to be on the safe side.

    • We have taken these particular wells out of service while we continue to evaluate them.
    • We're continuing our rigorous water quality testing.
    • We've begun a study to determine the best way to treat for these substances to ensure that we are staying ahead of any possible future issues.
    • And, we shared these results and our decision to take these select wells out of service while we evaluate them with the New Mexico Environment and Health departments.

Visit www.epa.gov to learn more about the study of PFAS.

Read the letter to our customers.


Questions? We have Answers.

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What are PFAS? How do you know if something has PFAS in it? What is EPCOR doing to treat PFAS? Is my water safe to drink? What are the actual levels of PFAS that were found? How do I know if my water came from these wells? How will I know if there is a problem with my water? Does EPCOR serve Cannon Air Force Base? Is the Cannon plume moving toward EPCOR’s wells?
What are PFAS?

​PFAS are a family of man-made substances used across a variety of industries since the 1940s. Within the family of PFAS substances, PFOA and PFOS have been the most extensively produced and studied. They don't break down so they can accumulate over time, and studies have shown that exposure to PFAS can be potentially harmful. You can find more information here.

How do you know if something has PFAS in it?

​PFAS are often associated with fire-fighting foam, commonly used household items and daily use products, such as stain- and water-repellent fabrics, nonstick products, polishes, waxes, paints and other cleaning products.

What is EPCOR doing to treat PFAS?
​Our water quality experts are closely following the national study of PFAS, and we carefully adhere to all state and Federal drinking water regulations. We've taken the handful of Clovis wells that indicated a presence for PFAS while we evaluate them, and we've begun a study on the best way to treat for these man-made substances.
Is my water safe to drink?
​Yes. EPCOR's water quality analysts and experts test more than 21,000 water samples every year, at all points of the water cycle. A detailed water quality report is provided every year – you can read them here.
What are the actual levels of PFAS that were found?
​Most of these particular wells feed a single pump station where the combined level of PFOS and PFOA, combined, ranged from 4 to 7 ppt at the entry point to the distribution system. All of those wells have been taken offline and the information will be provided in this year's water quality report.
How do I know if my water came from these wells?
​Most of these wells, as well as others that don't show any PFAS presence, feed into one of our many pumping stations. Once the water is mixed together and comes out of the pump station, it is well below even the most stringent standards being considered in the states.
How will I know if there is a problem with my water?
​We take the safety of the water we deliver very seriously. If there were ever to be a cause for concern, we would notify customers and the public right away.
Does EPCOR serve Cannon Air Force Base?
​No, Cannon has its own water supply system.
Is the Cannon plume moving toward EPCOR’s wells?
​None of EPCOR's wells are in the area impacted by the Cannon plume. However, we continue to carefully monitor and test our water sources and evaluate the potential impact on our wells, just to be on the safe side.

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