High levels of arsenic in Colorado's San Luis Valley water
5/24/2023 6:02:05 PM
CATEGORIES:
Society & Public Health
Water Supply & Quality
AFFECTED AREAS:
Alamosa County, CO
Conejos County, CO
Costilla County, CO
Mineral County, CO
Rio Grande County, CO
Saguache County, CO
Taos County, NM
Start Date: 5/22/2023
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Decades of drought and overpumping of the aquifers have made the San Luis Valley very dry and increased the levels of heavy metals in the water. Arsenic levels in San Luis Valley groundwater are “markedly higher than [in] many other areas of the U.S.,” according to an epidemiologist and engineer researching arsenic levels in the region. A small fraction of wells shows elevated levels of heavy metals, like arsenic, uranium, tungsten, and manganese, which occur naturally in the soil. During dry episodes, arsenic concentrations in water can increase or fluctuate.
NPR (Washington, D.C.), May 22, 2023
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