waterbycounty
EPA SDWIS

Harding County Water Quality

Harding County, New Mexico

Water Grade

F

Water Score

20.0

Violations

1

State Rank

#14

of 32 (1 = best)

EPA SDWIS Compliance

Drinking Water Quality

Water Quality Grade

F

Based on EPA compliance history and violation data

Water Score

20/100

Higher = better quality

Health Violations

1

Health-based violations

Violation Rate

131.9%

Systems with violations

Water Advisory: Harding County

Water Verdict

Harding County receives a poor water quality assessment with a grade of F and a score of 20.0 out of 100. The water supply has documented quality issues. Residents are strongly encouraged to use filtered or bottled water for drinking and to stay informed about utility improvement plans.

Violation Context

Harding County has recorded 1 health-based violation, meaning the water system experienced at least one exceedance of federal contaminant limits or treatment requirements. At 131.9 violations per 1,000 residents, this rate is high and signals significant water quality management issues.

Consumer Guidance

Residents of Harding County are advised to use filtered or bottled water for drinking and cooking until water quality improves. A reverse-osmosis or activated-carbon filter certified to remove the contaminants listed in the utility's Consumer Confidence Report is recommended. With 1 recorded health violation, staying informed about utility communications and boil-water notices is especially important. For long-term peace of mind, request your utility's latest Consumer Confidence Report and consider independent water testing if you have specific health concerns.

Regional Context

Harding County has water quality close to the average county in New Mexico. Its water score is within 1.7 points of the state average, meaning its overall water system performance is broadly representative of New Mexico as a whole.

Clean Water Act §303(d)

Watershed Health

Impaired Water Bodies

12.5%

1 of 8 assessed

Some impairment

Top Impairment Causes

  • 1

    FLOW REGIME MODIFICATION

Source: EPA ATTAINS · Reporting cycle 2022

Impairment is determined under the Clean Water Act §303(d): a water body is impaired when it fails to meet state-defined quality standards for designated uses (drinking, recreation, aquatic life). Assessment coverage varies by state — counties without assessed water bodies are not shown.

Live USGS Streamgage

River & Stream Conditions

Current Discharge

0.00cfs

May 14, 6:15 PM UTC

vs Long-Term Average

0%

Well below typical

Primary Streamgage

UTE CREEK NEAR LOGAN, NM

USGS site
07226500
Drainage area
1,748 sq mi
Long-term mean
18.4 cfs

One representative streamgage (the one with the largest drainage area in the county). Many counties have multiple gauges — this view summarizes the primary one. The long-term mean is the full-record annual average; "% of typical" compares the latest reading against that average.

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Frequently Asked Questions

What is the water quality in Harding County, New Mexico?
Harding County, New Mexico has a drinking-water quality grade of F with a score of 20.0/100, based on EPA SDWIS compliance data. The county has 1 health-based drinking water violation over the past 5 years. Watershed health, monitoring records, and live streamflow are reported separately on this page.
Are there any water violations in Harding County?
Harding County has 1 health-based drinking water violation recorded by the EPA over the past 5 years. Health-based violations indicate instances where contaminant levels exceeded EPA Maximum Contaminant Levels (MCLs). Violations may have been resolved — check with your local water utility for current status.
How healthy are the watersheds in Harding County?
EPA ATTAINS assessments under Clean Water Act §303(d) indicate 12.5% of Harding County's 8 assessed water bodies are classified as impaired (1 impaired). The top reported causes are FLOW REGIME MODIFICATION. Impairment means the water body fails to meet state quality standards for at least one designated use — drinking water source, recreation, aquatic life, or fish consumption. Note: watershed impairment doesn't always translate to tap-water issues; treatment plants can remove most regulated contaminants.
What's happening with rivers in Harding County right now?
Harding County's primary USGS streamgage on the UTE CREEK is currently reading 0 cubic feet per second — 0% of the long-term mean of 18.38 cfs. This is well below typical — often a signal of drought stress on source water. For genuine real-time data, visit waterdata.usgs.gov.
How does Harding County water compare to the New Mexico average?
Harding County's SDWIS water quality score of 20.0/100 is lower than the New Mexico state average of 21.7. The average water quality grade across New Mexico is F, based on data from 32 counties with available SDWIS data.
Is tap water safe to drink in Harding County?
Based on EPA SDWIS data, Harding County has a water quality grade of F (20.0/100). This indicates below-average compliance with significant violations. Residents may want to consider home water filtration or independent testing. The grade speaks to the public water system, not the watershed — for watershed-level concerns, see the Watershed Health zone. For the most up-to-date information, contact your local water utility or review your Consumer Confidence Report (CCR).
Does Harding County have clean drinking water?
Harding County has 1 health-based drinking water violation according to EPA records. With a water quality score of 20.0/100 and grade F, the county's drinking water has had some compliance issues but continues to be monitored. Note: drinking-water compliance speaks to the public water system, not necessarily to the watershed itself — check the Watershed Health zone for ATTAINS §303(d) data.
How does Harding County rank for water quality in New Mexico?
Harding County ranks #14 out of 32 counties in New Mexico by SDWIS water quality score (1 = best). With a score of 20.0/100, it falls in the middle third of counties statewide. The ranking reflects EPA SDWIS compliance only — not watershed impairment, monitoring density, or streamflow, which are tracked separately on this page.

Counties with Similar Water Quality

Lincoln County

New Mexico

F

20.2

Water score

Sandoval County

New Mexico

F

18.1

Water score

Grant County

New Mexico

F

17.9

Water score

Data Sources

Drinking-water compliance data from the EPA Safe Drinking Water Information System (SDWIS) via the ECHO enforcement database. Scores reflect compliance history and health-based violation counts.

Watershed health and impaired-waterway data from the EPA ATTAINS Clean Water Act §303(d) assessments — state-reported, EPA-finalized.

Live streamflow from the USGS National Water Information System (NWIS) — continuous discharge measurements from the largest-drainage gauge in each county, compared against the full-record long-term annual mean.

Disclaimer: This data is informational only. It is not health, legal, or professional advice. For concerns about your specific water supply, contact your local water utility.

By Logan Johnson, Founder & Data EditorUpdated Reviewed by Logan Johnson, Founder & Data Editor

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