Lea County Water Quality: 2 Cities Ranked by the Records
Lea County, New Mexico: 2 city reports built from EPA and utility records. A county has many suppliers; each city shows the system that serves it.
Highest result for each contaminant
One row per contaminant: the highest result any system in the county reported, against its limit. Open a row for the systems behind it.
LithiumDetected in 2 systems10 µg/L EPA health reference level (screening, not a legal limit) · US EPAHighest53.1 µg/L
- HOBBS MUNICIPAL WATER SUPPLY53.1 µg/LSample date: 2023-02-06 to 2023-08-01
- LOVINGTON MUNICIPAL WATER SUPPLY26.5 µg/LSample date: 2024-10-14 to 2025-04-23
Perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA)Detected in 1 system of 2 tested4.0 ng/L federal MCL (2024) · US EPAHighest5.3 ng/L
- HOBBS MUNICIPAL WATER SUPPLY5.3 ng/LSample date: 2023-02-06 to 2023-08-01
- LOVINGTON MUNICIPAL WATER SUPPLYNot detected · below 4.0 ng/L lab reporting limitSample date: 2024-10-14 to 2025-04-23
Lead (90th percentile)Detected in 1 system of 2 tested15 µg/L federal action level · US EPAHighest0.6 µg/L
- HOBBS MUNICIPAL WATER SUPPLY0.6 µg/LMonitoring period: 2024–2026 (still open)
- LOVINGTON MUNICIPAL WATER SUPPLYNot detectedMonitoring period: 2024–2026 (still open)
Perfluorohexanoic acid (PFHxA)Detected in 1 system of 2 tested400,000 ng/L Michigan EGLE state MCL (strictest US state) · Michigan EGLEHighest9.5 ng/L
- HOBBS MUNICIPAL WATER SUPPLY9.5 ng/LSample date: 2023-02-06 to 2023-08-01
- LOVINGTON MUNICIPAL WATER SUPPLYNot detected · below 3.0 ng/L lab reporting limitSample date: 2024-10-14 to 2025-04-23
Perfluorobutanoic acid (PFBA)Detected in 1 system of 2 testedNo federal or state limit; shown for transparencyHighest6.4 ng/L
- HOBBS MUNICIPAL WATER SUPPLY6.4 ng/LSample date: 2023-02-06 to 2023-08-01
- LOVINGTON MUNICIPAL WATER SUPPLYNot detected · below 5.0 ng/L lab reporting limitSample date: 2024-10-14 to 2025-04-23
Perfluoroheptanoic acid (PFHpA)Detected in 1 system of 2 testedNo federal or state limit; shown for transparencyHighest5.1 ng/L
- HOBBS MUNICIPAL WATER SUPPLY5.1 ng/LSample date: 2023-02-06 to 2023-08-01
- LOVINGTON MUNICIPAL WATER SUPPLYNot detected · below 3.0 ng/L lab reporting limitSample date: 2024-10-14 to 2025-04-23
Perfluoropentanoic acid (PFPeA)Detected in 1 system of 2 testedNo federal or state limit; shown for transparencyHighest16.2 ng/L
- HOBBS MUNICIPAL WATER SUPPLY16.2 ng/LSample date: 2023-02-06 to 2023-08-01
- LOVINGTON MUNICIPAL WATER SUPPLYNot detected · below 3.0 ng/L lab reporting limitSample date: 2024-10-14 to 2025-04-23
24 PFAS tested, none detected in any systemShow
Tested in these 2 systems: HOBBS MUNICIPAL WATER SUPPLY, LOVINGTON MUNICIPAL WATER SUPPLY
- 11-Chloroeicosafluoro-3-oxaundecane-1-sulfonic acid (11Cl-PF3OUdS)
- 1H, 1H, 2H, 2H-perfluorodecane sulfonic acid (8:2 FTS)
- 1H, 1H, 2H, 2H-perfluorohexane sulfonic acid (4:2 FTS)
- 1H, 1H, 2H, 2H-perfluorooctane sulfonic acid (6:2 FTS)
- 4,8-Dioxa-3H-perfluorononanoic acid (ADONA)
- 9-Chlorohexadecafluoro-3-oxanone-1-sulfonic acid (9Cl-PF3ONS)
- Hexafluoropropylene oxide dimer acid (HFPO-DA) (GenX chemicals)
- N-ethyl perfluorooctanesulfonamidoacetic acid (NEtFOSAA)
- N-methyl perfluorooctanesulfonamidoacetic acid (NMeFOSAA)
- Nonafluoro-3,6-dioxaheptanoic acid (NFDHA)
- Perfluoro (2-ethoxyethane) sulfonic acid (PFEESA)
- Perfluoro-3-methoxypropanoic acid (PFMPA)
- Perfluoro-4-methoxybutanoic acid (PFMBA)
- Perfluorobutanesulfonic acid (PFBS)
- Perfluorodecanoic acid (PFDA)
- Perfluorododecanoic acid (PFDoA)
- Perfluoroheptanesulfonic acid (PFHpS)
- Perfluorohexanesulfonic acid (PFHxS)
- Perfluorononanoic acid (PFNA)
- Perfluorooctanesulfonic acid (PFOS)
- Perfluoropentanesulfonic acid (PFPeS)
- Perfluorotetradecanoic acid (PFTA)
- Perfluorotridecanoic acid (PFTrDA)
- Perfluoroundecanoic acid (PFUnA)
Cities ranked by the records
Ranked by the Purity Score of each city's main water system, highest first. Scores belong to water systems; there is no county score. The score is computed only from contaminants measured in the published EPA record, so this ranks the record, not which city's water is safest. How the score works.
0of 2 cities above the 15 µg/L action level
Based on each system's 90th-percentile result. Lead from household plumbing isn't in this record.
Lead in New MexicoLargest water systems
Frequently asked
How does Lea County tap water compare across cities?
PurityMap ranks 2 cities in Lea County by the Purity Score of each city's main water system, computed only from contaminants measured in the published EPA record. Scores belong to water systems, not to cities. The highest published score is Lovington's main water system: LOVINGTON MUNICIPAL WATER SUPPLY · PWSID NM3521813 · Purity Score 98 (Excellent) · Confidence: moderate · Assessed at the water-system level. The ranking compares the records, not which city's water is safest, and your own tap can differ with household plumbing.
How many Lea County cities have PFAS above the federal limit?
1 city of 2 had at least one regulated PFAS (PFOA, PFOS or PFHxS) measured above the 2024 federal limit in EPA's UCMR 5 testing, including Hobbs (PFOA 5.3 ng/L). PFAS were detected at any level in 1.
Is there lead in Lea County tap water?
Utilities report lead as a 90th-percentile result from home taps. 1 of 2 Lea County cities reported a value above zero, and none was above the 15 µg/L federal action level. Lead usually comes from a building's own pipes and fixtures, so only a test at your tap tells you what you drink.
Have Lea County water systems had drinking-water violations?
1 city in Lea County has a health-based violation in the federal SDWIS record within about the last ten years. Each city report lists the contaminant, year and whether it was resolved.
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