News Coverage
Study finds perchlorate in New Mexico water
Published August 5, 2001
ALBUQUERQUE - New Mexico is one of 19 states where perchlorate, one of the primary ingredients of rocket-fuel, has been detected in the water, according to a recent study.
The Environmental Working Group concluded a national study earlier this month.
Quantities of perchlorate were found in surface and underground water at certain locations around the state. However, no public water supplies are currently threatened.
"We definitely have perchlorate in New Mexico," said state Environment Department geohydrologist Dennis McQuillan.
McQuillan is conducting an EPA-funded perchlorate study.
Perchlorate has been found in Alamogordo, Clovis, Gallup, Los Alamos, Melrose and White Sands.
Alamogordo and Clovis are the homes of Air Force installations. Gallup is near the Fort Wingate Army depot, Los Alamos is the home of a national lab which occasionally conducts weapons testing and White Sands and Melrose are weapons testing ranges.
McQuillan said the locations with unsafe levels are unlikely to contaminate drinking water anytime soon.
"Not in our lifetime," said McQuillan. "Ground water moves in feet per year."
McQuillan has just started to receive results from his study.
"The levels in Clovis were barely detectable," he said. The other three results he has received showed no perchlorate contamination.
There are currently no federal or state regulations on perchlorate.
McQuillan said he hopes his work will help guide the state in establishing regulations. The state is to set perchlorate safety levels by next year, he said.
"It's not a burning issue," McQuillan said. "There's no current cleanups going on. But eventually the contaminated water will become drinking water."
Perchlorate does exist in the environment. The chemical has been found to disrupt thyroid-gland function and is a potential carcinogen, the report said.