Cannon Air Force Base Plume and Why it Doesn't Affect your Water

​On October 17, a contamination plume originating at Cannon Air Force Base, an impact area extending 4 miles, was reported. There is no impact to the water EPCOR supplies to the Clovis community.

We are fully aware of the water quality issues relating to the Per- and Poly-Fluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS) – potentially harmful chemicals associated with fire-fighting foams – reported by Cannon Air Force Base. The New Mexico Environment Department is overseeing the Air Force's water investigation and is requiring further extensive sampling of the affected area by USAF – including sampling all water supply wells within a four-mile radius of the southeastern corner of the Air Force base. On April 3, the NMED issued an update to its testing.

It's important to note that none of our Clovis production wells fall within the 4-mile radius of the area of concern—the water we deliver is safe to drink.

However, out of an abundance of caution, we continue to collect samples at our nearby wells to test for substances that are not typically present in our region's water. Our tests continue to confirm that no PFAs are present in EPCOR's water.

EPCOR takes pride in delivering safe drinking water to our customers. In fact, we test our systems daily, and adhere to stringent Federal and local guidelines, including checking at various stages of its cycle – from wells to the tap itself. It's a process our skilled analysts and scientists repeat 21,000 times per year to make sure water meets our standards.

We appreciate the continued steps taken by Cannon Air Force Base, the New Mexico Environment Department and other state agencies to alert and safeguard the public regarding this issue, and we will continue to proactively communicate with local residents and businesses about our water quality in this region.

Learn more about how we keep water in Clovis safe.