Las Vegas, NM – The City of Las Vegas remains under a mandatory boil water order, even though no contaminants have been found in the water system at this time, according to the New Mexico Environment Department’s (NMED) Drinking Water Bureau (DWS). This order is a result of a violation of drinking water turbidity standards at the water treatment plant on February 17.
This advisory follows previous boil water advisories. The first was precautionary due to low system pressure and localized water outages. The second was mandatory as additional areas of the city lost water service, increasing the risk of contamination. The current advisory was issued because turbidity (cloudiness) levels in the treated surface water exceeded the maximum allowable limit on February 17, 2025. High turbidity can interfere with disinfection and increase the risk of harmful microorganisms in the water. However, no contamination has been confirmed at this time, according to NMED.
The City of Las Vegas continues to work closely with NMED to address ongoing water quality concerns. The boil water advisory will remain in effect until the treatment plant operations and overall system stability are restored. The advisory will only be lifted once NMED has reviewed the situation and determined that the water is safe for consumption.
To meet the needs of the community and comply with NMED’s requirements, the City of Las Vegas is hauling water from neighboring state-approved sources via semi-trucks around the clock to support water treatment at the plant. Daily distribution of packaged water, bulk potable water, and bulk non-potable water continues. Home delivery of water for those with critical needs or transportation limitations is also ongoing. These efforts will continue until further notice.
While we work to resolve this situation, we strongly urge the community to refrain from spreading misinformation or rumors on social media or the internet. Official updates regarding the water situation will ONLY be provided by the Las Vegas City Government website at www.lasvegasnm.gov and other state agencies. There are websites circulating their own input and methodologies regarding water, but they are not official agencies and do not provide accurate information. We also ask social media pages to censor this false information to prevent unnecessary panic. We are fully committed to transparency throughout this process. An investigation into the situation is ongoing, and a post-incident report will be shared with the public once the findings are complete.
We ask for the community’s patience as we work diligently to resolve this issue.