Gallup Water System

To guarantee tap water safety, the U.S. EPA establishes regulations limiting contaminant levels in public water systems. Similarly, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration sets standards for bottled water to provide equivalent public health protection. All water sources, whether from taps or bottles, naturally contain some level of contaminants, though their presence doesn't necessarily indicate health risks.

Water sources (both tap and bottled) include rivers, lakes, streams, ponds, reservoirs, springs, and wells. As water flows across land or through soil, it dissolves naturally-occurring minerals, sometimes radioactive materials, and substances resulting from animal presence or human activities.

Potential contaminants in source water include:

• Microbial Contaminants: Viruses and bacteria from sewage treatment facilities, septic systems, agricultural operations, or wildlife
• Inorganic Contaminants: Salts and metals occurring naturally or from urban runoff, industrial/domestic wastewater, oil/gas production, mining, or farming
• Pesticides and Herbicides: From agriculture, urban stormwater runoff, and residential usage
• Organic Chemical Contaminants: Synthetic and volatile organics from industrial processes, petroleum production, gas stations, urban runoff, and septic systems
• Radioactive Contaminants: Naturally occurring or resulting from oil/gas production and mining

For additional information about contaminants and potential health effects, contact the U.S. EPA's Safe Drinking Water Hotline at (800) 426-4791.

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