COTTONWOOD WATER MDWCA vs ALBUQUERQUE WATER SYSTEM
Water quality comparison — risk levels, violations, PFAS records, and contaminants
Quick Answer
Both utilities share the same risk level (safe). COTTONWOOD WATER MDWCA has 0 open health-based violations and 0 PFAS records. ALBUQUERQUE WATER SYSTEM has 0 open health-based violations and 1508 PFAS records.
New Mexico · NM3555008
No Concerns Detected
Water meets all safety standards with no detected exceedances.
0
Open violations
0
PFAS records
New Mexico · NM3510701
No Concerns Detected
Water meets all safety standards with no detected exceedances.
0
Open violations
1508
PFAS records
Head-to-Head Comparison
| Metric | COTTONWOOD WATER MDWCA | ALBUQUERQUE WATER SYSTEM |
|---|---|---|
| State | New Mexico | New Mexico |
| Risk Level | No Concerns Detected | No Concerns Detected |
| Population Served | 1,781 | 560,326 |
| Open Health Violations | 0 | 0 |
| Total Violations | 0 | 1 |
| PFAS Records | None detected | 1508 |
| Ownership | Local | Local |
| Service Type | Groundwater | Surface water |
| City Served | Artesia | Albuquerque |
Contaminants in Violation Records
COTTONWOOD WATER MDWCA
No named contaminants in violation records.
ALBUQUERQUE WATER SYSTEM
- Nitrate
Key Differences
COTTONWOOD WATER MDWCA has 0 PFAS records vs. 1508 for ALBUQUERQUE WATER SYSTEM.
What Should I Do?
If either utility shows open violations or elevated PFAS records, consider:
- Installing a reverse osmosis filter — removes PFAS, lead, arsenic, nitrates, and most heavy metals.
- Requesting your utility’s annual Consumer Confidence Report (CCR) for the most current test results.
- Ordering a certified lab water test if you want contaminant-specific data for your address.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is safer — COTTONWOOD WATER MDWCA or ALBUQUERQUE WATER SYSTEM?
Both utilities share the same risk level (safe). Both utilities have similar violation profiles — review the full data above to decide based on specific contaminants that concern you.
What does "open health-based violation" mean?
An open health-based violation means a water system has exceeded an EPA Maximum Contaminant Level (MCL) or failed to meet a treatment technique — and the violation has not yet been resolved. These are the most serious type of water quality violations.
How current is this data?
Violation data comes from EPA's Safe Drinking Water Information System (SDWIS), which is updated as utilities report. PFAS data comes from EPA's UCMR 5 monitoring (2023–2025). Risk levels are recalculated daily.
What does PWSID mean?
PWSID stands for Public Water System ID — a unique federal identifier assigned to each community water system. You can use it to look up a system in EPA's ECHO database.