The UNM Physical Plant Department received results from a state lab on Tuesday, but it didn’t reveal any harmful substances in the discolored UNM well water.
Gary Smith, PPD assistant director of Environmental Services, said the PPD will continue to investigate why the water is discolored.
“We’re going to keep working with the New Mexico Environmental Department and the lab,” he said. “We’re going to set up a meeting to decide where to go next.”
Smith said the possibility that the water changed color from too much chlorine is “a rumor and is unsubstantiated.”
The UNM campus went without drinkable water for almost 24 hours, beginning Tuesday morning when a PPD worker noticed the discolored water. An emergency notification message sent out at 10:43 a.m. on Tuesday discouraged students from using any tap water on campus. At 6:32 a.m. on Wednesday, another emergency notification message confirmed that UNM was “fully switched to city water.”
“The water is now safe to drink and use,” Smith said. “No one should have any concerns”
Residence halls were switched to city water by 8:21 p.m. on Tuesday.
Smith said he talked to a state lab on the phone Wednesday, who told him that they didn’t find anything suspicious. The lab will send a full report to UNM through mail, he said.
“There is no unusual concentration of bacteria, volatile organic compounds, metals or bacterial conditions,” he said. “All UNM knows is that we’ve experienced a nonhazardous, noncontaminating discoloration of our well-water.”
Smith said UNM will continue to use city water until the PPD can pinpoint the reason for the discoloration.
“Safety comes first on this campus,” he said. “We want to review the written report from the state labs before making any decisions.”
In his 15 years working at UNM, Smith said he has never experienced any issues with UNM’s well-water.
“Historically, our well water has been excellent quality,” he said. “I don’t think this has ever happened before — ever.”
