Chromium

Where It Comes From in New Mexico

In New Mexico, high levels of chromium in water usually come from two main sources. First, it can come from natural geology, as weathering rocks naturally release chromium into the groundwater.² Second, it comes from a history of industrial pollution.² The most famous example is a massive underground Chromium-6 spill beneath the Los Alamos National Laboratory.⁴˒⁷ Workers flushed up to 160,000 pounds of contaminated cooling water into a nearby canyon between 1956 and 1972, which eventually leaked into the region's drinking water supply.²˒⁴˒⁷

Health Concerns

While Chromium-3 is safe, drinking water contaminated with Chromium-6 is extremely toxic and is known to increase the risk of stomach and digestive cancers.²˒⁴ Short-term and long-term exposure can cause allergic skin reactions, stomach ulcers, nausea, and severe damage to the liver and kidneys.²˒³˒⁷

How Climate Change Exacerbates Exposure Risks:

Extreme weather and natural disasters can increase metal concentrations in our water. For example, after the massive 2022 Calf Canyon/Hermits Peak Fire, high levels of chromium and other heavy metals from firefighting materials were found in the groundwater of northern Mora County.²˒⁶ Additionally, human attempts to clean up pollution can sometimes backfire. Recent efforts to pump and treat the Los Alamos chromium spill accidentally pushed some of the contaminated water closer to the neighboring Pueblo de San Ildefonso.²˒⁵˒⁸

How to Mitigate Exposure Risks

About 20 percent of New Mexicans get their water from private wells.²˒⁹ If you use a private well, it is completely your responsibility to make sure your water is safe, because the government does not regulate private wells.⁹˒¹⁰

• Test your water: Because chromium is completely invisible, tasteless, and odorless, testing is the only way to know if it is in your water.¹ You can pay to have your water tested by a certified lab, or look out for free "Water Fair" events hosted by the New Mexico Environment Department and Department of Health, which offer free testing for well owners.²˒⁹˒¹⁰

• Never boil the water: Just like with other heavy metals, boiling your water will not remove chromium; it simply evaporates the water and leaves the metals behind, making them even more concentrated.⁶

• Filter your water: If your water has high levels of chromium, you should install a specialized water filter in your home.³ Reverse osmosis filters are considered a highly effective option for removing it.²˒³