Attention Visitors to Sims Mesa Campground: Boil Water Notice in Effect
Navajo Lake State Park in New Mexico, a popular destination for outdoor enthusiasts, is currently under a boil water advisory specifically affecting the Sims Mesa Campground area. Park authorities have issued this notice due to recent water quality testing that revealed the water system does not meet required treatment standards. This means there is a potential health risk associated with consuming tap water at the Sims Mesa Campground.
Routine water monitoring at Navajo Lake State Park’s Sims Mesa Campground in August 2024 indicated elevated turbidity levels in the water supply. Specifically, water samples showed turbidity measurements exceeding 1 NTU (Nephelometric Turbidity Unit) and multiple samples over 0.3 NTU. The established safety standard mandates that no water samples should exceed 1 NTU. This violation of the Safe Drinking Water Act standards suggests a possible increased risk to public health.
What You Need To Do
If you are in the Sims Mesa Campground at Navajo Lake State Park, it is crucial to take the following precautions:
- Boil Water Before Consumption: Bring all water to a rolling boil for at least 3 minutes before using it for drinking, cooking, brushing teeth, washing dishes, and preparing food. Allow the boiled water to cool before use.
- Consider Alternate Water Sources: As an alternative to boiling, you may choose to use bottled water or water from a different, verified safe source for drinking and cooking purposes.
Who is Most At Risk?
While turbidity itself doesn’t have direct health effects, it can interfere with the effectiveness of water disinfection and promote microbial growth. Turbidity can be an indicator of the presence of harmful organisms, including bacteria, viruses, and parasites. These microorganisms can cause illness with symptoms such as nausea, stomach cramps, diarrhea, and headaches.
Individuals with severely compromised immune systems, infants, pregnant women, and the elderly are particularly vulnerable to potential health risks from consuming untreated water and should be especially cautious. If you fall into one of these categories, it is strongly recommended to seek advice from your healthcare provider regarding drinking water safety during this advisory. For general guidance on minimizing the risk of infection from microbes, the EPA Safe Drinking Water Hotline is available at 1-800-426-4791.
What Park Management is Doing
Navajo Lake State Park management is actively working to resolve this issue. They are ensuring the water system operates within acceptable parameters and will conduct re-testing of the water supply as quickly as possible to confirm the system’s compliance with safety standards and lift the boil water advisory.
For Further Information
For any questions or concerns regarding this boil water advisory at Navajo Lake State Park Sims Mesa Campground, please contact Park Manager Victoria Gurule directly at [email protected] or by phone at (505) 592-9852.
Please Share This Information
It is important to share this information with everyone who may be using the water at Sims Mesa Campground, especially those who may not receive direct notifications, such as visitors in group campsites or other shared facilities. Please consider posting this notice in visible public locations or distributing copies to other campers.
This notice is for the Sims Mesa Campground area of Navajo Lake State Park and does not necessarily affect other areas of the park. Always check for posted advisories and information updates when visiting any part of Navajo Lake State Park.
