Copper

Where It Comes From in New Mexico

In New Mexico, mercury enters water from both natural geology and human activities ¹. Naturally occurring traces of mercury are found in the rocks of the Ladron and Magdalena Mountains, and weather over time can wash these minerals into local waters ¹. Human activities have also left a lasting impact; historic silver and gold mining used extraction processes that released inorganic mercury into the environment ¹. Today, emissions from coal-fired power plants can also release mercury into the air, which is eventually washed by rain into bodies of water like Elephant Butte Lake ¹,³.

Health Concerns

While your body needs low levels of copper, drinking water that has too much copper can make you sick ⁴. Short-term effects of drinking copper-contaminated water include stomach cramps, nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea ²,⁴. Long-term exposure to high levels is even more dangerous, potentially leading to liver and kidney damage ². Infants, children, and people with specific genetic conditions like Wilson's disease are especially vulnerable to health issues from too much copper ²,⁵.

How Climate Change Makes It Worse

Natural disasters, specifically wildfires, can directly impact the amount of heavy metals in our water. Wildfires change the landscape, and post-fire runoff can contaminate surface and well water ⁶. For example, following the catastrophic Hermits Peak/Calf Canyon Fire in 2022, studies found elevated levels of heavy metals, including copper, in Mora County's groundwater ⁶.

How to Protect Yourself and Your Family

If you get your water from a private well, it is your responsibility to make sure it is safe to drink, as the state does not regulate private wells ⁷.

• Look out for signs: Pay attention if your water develops a metallic taste or leaves blue-green stains on fixtures ².

• Test your water: Have your well water tested by a certified laboratory ⁷. Following the recent wildfires, the state has offered free well testing and emergency drinking water to residents in affected areas like Mora County ⁶,⁹.

• Flush the tap: If water has been sitting in your pipes for several hours, run the cold water for 15 to 30 seconds before drinking or cooking to flush out the concentrated metals ⁸.

• Use cold water only: Never use hot tap water for drinking, cooking, or making baby formula, as hot water dissolves copper much faster than cold water ⁸,¹⁰.

• Never boil the water: Boiling water will not remove copper; it simply evaporates the water and leaves the metals behind, making them more concentrated ⁸,⁹.

• Filter your water: If your water has high copper levels, you can use certified water filters, such as reverse osmosis systems, to reduce the metals ⁸.