Antimony

Where It Comes From in New Mexico

In New Mexico, high levels of antimony in drinking water stem from both natural sources and human activities. Naturally, it can enter groundwater as water washes over rocks and soils.²˒⁶ New Mexico also has a long history of mining, and historical mining areas, such as the Black Hawk district in Grant County and the Chloride district in Sierra County, contain old deposits that can release antimony into the water.⁴˒⁵˒⁶ Additionally, antimony is widely used in everyday products such as flame retardants, plastics, electronics, and metal solder, making it a source in industrial waste, manufacturing, and even household plumbing.²˒³˒⁶

Health Concerns

Drinking water with high levels of antimony can be harmful to your health. Short-term exposure to high amounts can cause stomach pain, nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea.¹˒³ Drinking contaminated water over a long period of time is even more dangerous, as it can lead to serious heart problems, lung issues, liver damage, increased blood cholesterol, and decreased blood sugar.¹˒³˒⁸

How Climate Change Exacerbates Exposure Risk

Extreme weather events and natural disasters, such as wildfires, can significantly increase the risk of antimony in drinking water. When a massive fire burns through an area, the protective soil and vegetation are destroyed, and later rains and floods can wash heavy-metal-laden ash and dirt straight into the groundwater.⁶ For example, after the massive 2022 Hermits Peak-Calf Canyon Fire, testing showed dramatic spikes in antimony and other heavy metals in private drinking water wells in Mora County, reaching levels considered unsafe by the Environmental Protection Agency.⁶˒⁸˒⁹

How to Mitigate Exposure Risk

If you get your water from a private well, it is your responsibility to make sure it is safe, because federal drinking water rules do not apply to private wells.⁸

• Look out for signs: Because antimony has no taste, smell, or color, you cannot rely on your senses to know if your water is contaminated.²˒⁶

• Test your water: The only way to know for sure what is in your water is to have it tested by a certified laboratory.⁶˒⁹ Following recent wildfires, the New Mexico Environment Department has offered free well testing for heavy metals to residents in affected areas, including Mora, San Miguel, and Taos counties.¹⁰

• Never boil the water: Boiling water will not remove antimony. In fact, boiling simply evaporates the water, leaving the metals behind and making the antimony even more concentrated and dangerous to drink.⁸˒¹⁰˒¹¹

• Filter your water: If your water tests high for antimony, you can install specialized water filters in your home. Systems like reverse osmosis are highly effective at removing antimony and making your water safe to drink.⁶˒⁹