Albuquerque
Albuquerque, NM water profile — supply sources, drought status, wastewater reuse, and the key water issues facing the city.
albuquerque water system
surface water (rivers/reservoirs) · local government · PWSID NM3510701
Below EPA's 15 ppb lead action level at last testing.
Source: EPA Safe Drinking Water Information System (SDWIS) · 2026 Q1
With about 559,121 residents, Albuquerque ranks as the largest city in New Mexico and a major U.S. city. Water in Albuquerque is sourced chiefly from Rio Grande, Pecos River, and groundwater, the backbone of New Mexico's supply.
The defining water pressure here mirrors the state's: drought. Chronic Rio Grande shortfalls and a produced-water reuse debate make New Mexico a proving ground for arid-state policy.
Statewide, New Mexico recycles about 18% of its wastewater with developing reuse programs. Locally, Albuquerque faces severe to extreme drought conditions.
The New Mexico state profile covers the regional supply outlook; the issues below detail what's driving Albuquerque's water future.
Bernalillo County water quality
Source: EPA SDWIS · 2026 Q1
At a glance
- Population ~559,121 (largest in New Mexico)
- Primary sources: Rio Grande, Pecos River, and groundwater
- Drought: severe to extreme conditions
- State reuse rate: ~18% of wastewater
Statewide drought history
% of New Mexico in severe+ drought (Extreme (D3) now).
Source: U.S. Drought Monitor
Common questions
Is tap water safe in Albuquerque?
Albuquerque's largest water system, ALBUQUERQUE WATER SYSTEM, serves about 560,326 people. EPA records show 0 health-based violation(s) since 2016 and a most-recent 90th-percentile lead level of 0 ppb (EPA action level is 15 ppb). Always check your own provider's annual Consumer Confidence Report.
Where does Albuquerque get its water?
ALBUQUERQUE WATER SYSTEM draws primarily from surface water (rivers/reservoirs), part of New Mexico's supply from Rio Grande, Pecos River, groundwater.
Related water issues
Drought
Much of the American West is in a multi-decade dry period that researchers describe as the most severe in over a millennium, reshaping how communities plan for water.
ExploreColorado River
The river that supplies 40 million people has lost roughly a fifth of its flow since 2000, forcing a renegotiation of how seven states share the water.
ExploreGroundwater Depletion
Aquifers from the Central Valley to the Ogallala are being pumped faster than they recharge, causing land subsidence and threatening long-term supply.
ExplorePotable Reuse
Advanced purification turns treated wastewater into water that meets or exceeds drinking-water standards — increasingly essential in water-stressed regions.
Explore