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EPA Considering Improved Protection for Drinking Water Source in Santa Fe County

Release Date: 2/13/2001
Contact Information: For more information contact the Office of External Affairs at (214) 665-2200.

     The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is evaluating a request to improve protection for a main source of drinking water for Santa Fe and several surrounding communities.

     The La Cienega Valley Citizens for Environmental Safeguards submitted a petition in October 2000 requesting that EPA designate the La Cienega Valley Area aquifer as a "sole source aquifer." The group is concerned that future unmanaged development may damage water quality in the aquifer.

     This designation would allow EPA to review construction projects with federal funding within the La Cienega Valley Aquifer area to help ensure the La Cienega Valley water supply is protected. A sole source aquifer designation would have no effect on projects that do not receive federal funding.

     About 114,000 people live in the approximately 320 square miles that make up the La Cienega Valley area. The area includes the city of Santa Fe and the communities of La Cienega, Seton Village, and Eldorado.

     EPA will hold a public meeting to discuss the petition from 1:00 to 3:00 p.m. on Thursday, Feb. 15. EPA will also hold a public hearing at 6:30 p.m. the same day to receive formal comments on the petition.

     Locations of the meetings, a map of the proposed designation area, a copy of the public notice and a fact sheet are available on the Internet (https://www.epa.gov/earth1r6/6wq/swp/index.htm).

     An aquifer is formed when rain or river water trickles down through the ground and saturates a zone below ground level. Many communities in New Mexico obtain drinking water by drilling wells that pull water up from these levels. Construction activities may introduce pollutants such as oil and chemicals into the aquifer.