Public water system · NM3573627
ActiveElephant Butte, City of
At a glance
City of Elephant Butte (PWSID NM3573627) is an active community water system in Sierra County, New Mexico. It reports serving 1,350 people through 634 service connections. Its primary water source is groundwater, and EPA lists it as owned by a local government. Of the 12 most recent violations in EPA's records, none is health-based, and the most recent began in August 2023.
Dataset updated . Source: EPA SDWIS/ECHO public records.
Population served
1,350
Service connections
634
Primary source
GW
Groundwater
System type
CWS
Community water system
System record
How does City of Elephant Butte compare with other water systems in Sierra County?
By EPA's size categories, City of Elephant Butte is a small system (501 to 3,300 people). Sierra County has 21 active public water systems, and City of Elephant Butte is the 3rd-largest of them by population served. Its population served is about 145% above the county average of 550 people per system, and accounts for 12% of the 11,551 people reported by systems filed under the county. Across New Mexico, the 1,165 active systems average 1,885 people each. Nationally, the average active community water system reports serving 6,703 people, so City of Elephant Butte is well below that figure.
What does “community water system” mean?
A community water system serves at least 15 connections used by year-round residents, or regularly serves at least 25 year-round residents. Homes, apartments and mobile-home parks are served by these. New Mexico has 645 active community water systems, 55% of the state's 1,165 active systems. Groundwater means the system draws its water from wells or springs fed by underground aquifers. 1,009 New Mexico systems (87%) list groundwater as their primary source.
Who owns and regulates City of Elephant Butte?
EPA lists City of Elephant Butte as owned by a local government. The NM state drinking water program is its primacy agency, the regulator with primary enforcement responsibility for the system under the Safe Drinking Water Act. 6 of the 21 active systems in Sierra County (29%) are also owned by a local government.
Does City of Elephant Butte have drinking water violations?
Of the 12 most recent violations in EPA's records, none is health-based, and the most recent began in August 2023. The violations listed here began between January 2014 and August 2023. By type: 8 monitoring and reporting and 4 public notice, recordkeeping or other. The contaminant or rule involved most often is Public Notice (3 of them). EPA lists 12 as resolved. Resolved means at least one resolving action is on record: the system returned to compliance, the rule no longer applies, or no further action was needed.
| Began | Violation | Contaminant or rule | Health-based | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023-08-24 | Public notice, recordkeeping or otherPublic Notification Violation for NPDWR Violation · code 75 | Public Noticecode 7500 | No | Resolved |
| 2022-04-01 | Monitoring and reportingMonitoring and Reporting (DBP) · code 27 | Chlorinecode 0999 | No | Resolved |
| 2021-10-01 | Public notice, recordkeeping or otherConsumer Confidence Report Inadequate Reporting · code 72 | Consumer Confidence Rulecode 7000 | No | Resolved |
| 2019-07-05 | Monitoring and reportingMonitoring, Source Water (GWR) · code 34 | E. colicode 3014 | No | Resolved |
| 2018-10-01 | Monitoring and reportingMonitoring and Reporting (DBP) · code 27 | Chlorinecode 0999 | No | Resolved |
| 2018-09-01 | Monitoring and reportingMonitoring and Reporting (DBP) · code 27 | Haloacetic acids (HAA5)code 2456 | No | Resolved |
| 2018-09-01 | Monitoring and reportingMonitoring and Reporting (DBP) · code 27 | Total trihalomethanes (TTHM)code 2950 | No | Resolved |
| 2017-05-08 | Public notice, recordkeeping or otherPublic Notification Violation for NPDWR Violation · code 75 | Public Noticecode 7500 | No | Resolved |
| 2017-02-03 | Public notice, recordkeeping or otherPublic Notification Violation for NPDWR Violation · code 75 | Public Noticecode 7500 | No | Resolved |
| 2014-09-01 | Monitoring and reportingMonitoring and Reporting (DBP) · code 27 | Total trihalomethanes (TTHM)code 2950 | No | Resolved |
| 2014-09-01 | Monitoring and reportingMonitoring and Reporting (DBP) · code 27 | Haloacetic acids (HAA5)code 2456 | No | Resolved |
| 2014-01-01 | Monitoring and reportingMonitoring and Reporting (DBP) · code 27 | Total trihalomethanes (TTHM)code 2950 | No | Resolved |
The 12 most recent violations in EPA's records, newest first.Labels and codes come from EPA's SDWIS reference tables. A monitoring or reporting violation means a required test or report was missed or late; it does not by itself mean a contaminant was found. "Health-based" marks violations of a legal limit or required treatment.
City of Elephant Butte: frequently asked questions
Who runs City of Elephant Butte?
City of Elephant Butte (PWSID NM3573627) is a community water system owned by a local government. It is regulated by the NM state drinking water program.
How many people does City of Elephant Butte serve?
City of Elephant Butte reports serving 1,350 people through 634 service connections in Sierra County, New Mexico.
Where does City of Elephant Butte get its water?
EPA SDWIS lists this system's primary water source as groundwater. Groundwater means the system draws its water from wells or springs fed by underground aquifers.
Does City of Elephant Butte have any drinking water violations?
Of the 12 most recent violations in EPA's records, none is health-based, and the most recent began in August 2023. A monitoring or reporting violation means a required test or report was missed or late; it does not by itself mean a contaminant was found.
Is City of Elephant Butte's water safe to drink?
AquaCensus shows EPA compliance records, not current water test results, so it cannot say whether the water is safe at a given moment. Of the 12 most recent violations in EPA's records, none is health-based, and the most recent began in August 2023. For current results, consult the system's annual water quality report, EPA ECHO, or the NM state drinking water program.
Where can I find City of Elephant Butte's water quality report?
As a community water system, City of Elephant Butte must deliver an annual water quality report, called a Consumer Confidence Report, to its customers by July 1 each year, covering the previous calendar year. The system can provide a copy on request.
Other water systems in Sierra County
| Water system | County | Population served | Type | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Truth Or Consequences | Sierra | 6,783 | Community | Groundwater |
| Elephant Butte Water System | Sierra | 2,286 | Community | Groundwater |
| Desert View Rv Park | Sierra | 220 | Transient non-community | Groundwater |
| Hillsboro Mdwca | Sierra | 172 | Community | Groundwater |
| National Rcs Test Facility | Sierra | 100 | Non-transient non-community | Groundwater |
| Dam Site Historic District | Sierra | 98 | Transient non-community | Purchased groundwater |
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About this data
Source: U.S. EPA Safe Drinking Water Information System (SDWIS) and SDWA violation records, via EPA ECHO, as published October 1, 2026 — AquaCensus refreshes it quarterly. See the methodology for how records are matched, cleaned and scored.
Cite as: AquaCensus, “Elephant Butte, City of, PWSID NM3573627, New Mexico”, https://aquacensus.com/water-systems/new-mexico/elephant-butte-city-of-nm3573627 (data as of October 1, 2026).