Public water system · NM3592028
ActiveWalking Sands Rest Area
At a glance
Walking Sands Rest Area (PWSID NM3592028) is an active transient non-community water system in Socorro County, New Mexico. It reports serving 450 people through 2 service connections. Its primary water source is groundwater, and EPA lists it as owned by a state government. EPA's records list 4 violations for this system; 1 is health-based, and the most recent began in January 2026.
Dataset updated . Source: EPA SDWIS/ECHO public records.
Population served
450
Service connections
2
Primary source
GW
Groundwater
System type
TNCWS
Transient non-community water system
System record
How does Walking Sands Rest Area compare with other water systems in Socorro County?
By EPA's size categories, Walking Sands Rest Area is a very small system (500 people or fewer). Socorro County has 18 active public water systems, and Walking Sands Rest Area is the 5th-largest of them by population served. Its population served is about 59% below the county average of 1,090 people per system, and accounts for 2.3% of the 19,625 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 transient non-community water system reports serving 144 people, so Walking Sands Rest Area is about 3.1 times that figure.
What does “transient non-community water system” mean?
A transient non-community water system serves places where people do not stay long, such as gas stations and campgrounds, and regularly serves at least 25 people a day for at least 60 days a year. New Mexico has 369 active transient non-community water systems, 32% 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 Walking Sands Rest Area?
EPA lists Walking Sands Rest Area as owned by a state 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. 5 of the 18 active systems in Socorro County (28%) are also owned by a state government.
Does Walking Sands Rest Area have drinking water violations?
EPA's records list 4 violations for this system; 1 is health-based, and the most recent began in January 2026. The violations listed here began between July 1992 and January 2026. By type: 3 monitoring and reporting and 1 contaminant level above the legal limit. The contaminant or rule involved most often is Total coliform bacteria (TCR) (3 of them). EPA lists 4 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-01-11 | Monitoring and reportingMonitoring, Source Water (GWR) · code 34 | E. colicode 3014 | No | Resolved |
| 2002-10-01 | Monitoring and reportingMonitoring, Routine Major (TCR) · code 23 | Total coliform bacteria (TCR)code 3100 | No | Resolved |
| 1999-06-01 | Monitoring and reportingMonitoring, Routine Major (TCR) · code 23 | Total coliform bacteria (TCR)code 3100 | No | Resolved |
| 1992-07-01 | Contaminant level above the legal limitMaximum Contaminant Level Violation, Monthly (TCR) · code 22 | Total coliform bacteria (TCR)code 3100 | Yes | Resolved |
All 4 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.
Walking Sands Rest Area: frequently asked questions
Who runs Walking Sands Rest Area?
Walking Sands Rest Area (PWSID NM3592028) is a transient non-community water system owned by a state government. It is regulated by the NM state drinking water program.
How many people does Walking Sands Rest Area serve?
Walking Sands Rest Area reports serving 450 people through 2 service connections in Socorro County, New Mexico.
Where does Walking Sands Rest Area 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 Walking Sands Rest Area have any drinking water violations?
EPA's records list 4 violations for this system; 1 is health-based, and the most recent began in January 2026. 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 Walking Sands Rest Area'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. EPA's records list 4 violations for this system; 1 is health-based, and the most recent began in January 2026. For current results, consult EPA ECHO, or the NM state drinking water program.
Where can I find Walking Sands Rest Area's water quality report?
The annual Consumer Confidence Report requirement applies to community water systems. Walking Sands Rest Area is a transient non-community water system, so it is not required to publish one; like every public water system, it must notify the people it serves about violations under EPA's public notification rules.
Other water systems in Socorro County
| Water system | County | Population served | Type | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Socorro Water System | Socorro | 12,026 | Community | Groundwater |
| Polvadera Mdwca | Socorro | 2,470 | Community | Groundwater |
| San Antonio Mdwca | Socorro | 1,344 | Community | Groundwater |
| Magdalena Village of | Socorro | 1,321 | Community | Groundwater |
| Fort Craig Rest Area West Side | Socorro | 300 | Transient non-community | Groundwater |
| Fort Craig Rest Area East Side | Socorro | 300 | Transient non-community | 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, “Walking Sands Rest Area, PWSID NM3592028, New Mexico”, https://aquacensus.com/water-systems/new-mexico/walking-sands-rest-area-nm3592028 (data as of October 1, 2026).