New Mexico water pollution (Albuquerque, Santa Fe: disposal, storage, centers)

[Hombre57]

Originally Posted by Rossd23

Hello, I may be relocating to the Albuquerque area by the end of the year... and there is something that has been bothering me... an article that I read about toxic waste and radioactive waste getting into the water.

Is this a serious concern?

Toxic waste trickles toward New Mexico's water sources -- latimes.com

I did some googling, here's what I found:

Watershed Monitoring | Water Quality Protection Division | Region 6 US EPA

If you are overly concerned about water, do this, which is what I do, and many others do who cannot stand the thought of drinking tap water. Buy bottled water to drink and cook with. Only use tap water to wash dishes, shower or bathe with, or launder with.

Southwestern New Mexico has poor quality water (Sierra County)

Aside from the joking around, you can buy yourself a water purification system (RO) or simply filter it to remove sediment and bad taste/odors.

We recently found out that the Elephant Butte resevoir has zebra mussells, which has prompted the State to implement some new regulations or requirements for boaters and fishermen/fisherwomen to follow.

Hope this helps calm some fears you might have.

[mortimer]

Originally Posted by Poncho_NM

The article never mentions the natural occurring arsenic or radioactivity in the water.

I thought about that too.

It's possible that the Los Alamos radioactivity is from 'hotter' stuff
than what we see naturally, but those details are also not mentioned.

Originally Posted by Hombre57

We recently found out that the Elephant Butte resevoir has zebra mussells, ...

Well, see?

There's a silver lining to everything.

As radiation flows down the river, it will kill the Zebra Mussells.

[Hombre57]

Originally Posted by mortimer

I thought about that too.

It's possible that the Los Alamos radioactivity is from 'hotter' stuff
than what we see naturally, but those details are also not mentioned.


Well, see?

There's a silver lining to everything.

As radiation flows down the river, it will kill the Zebra Mussells.

[MG120]

I would be far more concerned with bottled water than I would be with the local tap water. Just me though.

[Santa Fe]

Originally Posted by Poncho_NM

The article says "So far, the level of contamination in the Rio Grande has not been high enough to raise health concerns." and goes on and on to include mentioning seeing "child's footprints and Tonka toys in canyons" which radioactive material. The article never mentions the natural occurring arsenic or radioactivity in the water.

I'm concernd about other things more than what the LA Times article brought up.



Rich

Agreed. The radioactive dust at Santa Clara Pueblo from the information presented could easily be natural causes.

I am not anxious to drink the water pumped out of the Rio Grande but I'd be more worried about all the septic tanks that leak into the river and its tributaries, how often that water has irrigated fertilized fields, and all the hormones and human s**t coming out of the water treatment plants at places like Espanola.

[jaxart]

Originally Posted by MG120

I would be far more concerned with bottled water than I would be with the local tap water. Just me though.

ME TOO! From all of the recent news on "uncontrolled" bottling of water, there is apparently NO regulating agency that guarantees that "Natural Spring Water" comes from anything other than someone's garden hose! False advertising apparently is only challenged if someone does so in a civil case in court.

As for municipal water systems, they are - by law - tightly controlled in most states and required to provide their customers with annual chemical analysis reports. I know my town sends me a lengthy report with a plethora of test results showing acceptable norms for contaminants vs actual tested results. Radiation sources are one of the tested constituents.

My municipal water supply comes from both surface and ground water sources and so far (knock wood) I've had confidence in the treatment plant, albeit at times the water can be very hard.

An Aside: I saw an article the other day about someone (sports figure?) getting ill after drinking water at some resort restaurant where the waiters were refilling bottles labeled "Perrier" from an outside garden hose.

[Poncho_NM]

Originally Posted by Rossd23

Hello, I may be relocating to the Albuquerque area by the end of the year... and there is something that has been bothering me... an article that I read about toxic waste and radioactive waste getting into the water.

Is this a serious concern?

If that has been bothering you greatly you may consider a lot of issues. As mentioned earlier, a lot of water in New Mexico contains more arsenic than allowed by recent Federal laws. It is natural ocuring arsenic. I use to live in a state that had a lot of natural Radon Gas leaking into homes.

New Mexico deigned, built and detonated the first Nuclear Weapons right here in New Mexico. There are uranium mines in New Mexico.

I recently learned of the following problem: Coal Ash Is More Radioactive than Nuclear Waste: Scientific American New Mexico burns coal to produce electricity.

Am I concerned? I have lived in the Albuquerque area over ten years. I am not really concerned about the above issues. They are issues, but I do not lose any sleep over it. I am more concerned about DWI and various crimes against our citizens.



Rich

[Santa Fe]

Originally Posted by mortimer

As radiation flows down the river, it will kill the Zebra Mussells.

I think I have read that zebra mussels are voracious eaters. Maybe they can sop up the radiation and die, and when we remove the dead mussels we remove the radiation?

[mortimer]

Originally Posted by Santa Fe

... zebra mussels ... can sop up the radiation ...
... remove the dead mussels we remove the radiation?

This is quite correct, but in order to get all the radiation
removed, you will need to also gather up all the zebra
mussel feces that gets produced.

Have you heard the expression like poop through a goose?

Pound-for-pound, geese are pooping pikers next to a
mass of mussels.

[GregW]

Everything is radioactive, everything. It is the level that counts. Find out the background radiation level in the area you are considering and check it against the allowable levels. Then make your choice.

IMHO Arsenic in water is acceptable unless the spring is surrounded by skeletons and Radon in the basement is high enough to make the fluorescent lights glow without electricity.