What’s in my Water?
We provide an interactive interface that clearly communicates what environmental contaminants are associated with water systems in New Mexico. Water quality is very dependant on location in New Mexico and different contaminants are more associated with rural areas as opposed to urban areas. This website can be used as a guide to understand what environmental contaminants locals may be exposed to, and what we as a community can do to mitigate these exposure risks.
How to use this Website
This website was created to make information about metals in water more understandable and accessible to the general public. Scientific research often contains important findings about environmental exposures and health, but that information is not always easy to follow outside of academic or professional spaces. Because these issues can directly affect local communities, people deserve clear and understandable information about what they may be exposed to and why it matters.
To use this site, begin with the contaminant explorer and click on any element to learn more about that metal. Each page explains what the contaminant is, where it may come from, how exposure can happen, and how it can affect health and the environment. The goal of this project is to help bridge the gap between scientific research and everyday understanding so that information about water quality feels more useful, relevant, and approachable.
About the Author
Nicolai Morford-Oberst is a student at the University of New Mexico studying biochemistry with an interest in environmental health and science communication. His work focuses on making complex information about water contaminants and climate-related environmental risks more understandable to the public. Through this project, he aims to help communities better understand metals in water, where they come from, how exposure can happen, and why these issues matter.