Do not drink water or swim in water at Lake Holloman

SANTA FE, NM – The New Mexico Department of Health (NMDOH) reports water samplesrecently collected at Lake Holloman on Holloman Air Force Base contain high levels of per- and polyfluorinated compounds (PFAS). The lake is fed by treated wastewater from Holloman Air Force Base. Therefore, swimming in Lake Holloman is already not allowed and the lake water is not suitable for drinking.

In light of the recent analytical results, NMDOH recommends that visitors to this area should not:

  • Ingest water or foam from the lake
  • Swim in the lake 
  • Touch the water if possible.

If you do get water or foam from the lake on your hands, wash them with soap and clean water before eating. Pet owners should avoid allowing animals to drink or come into contact with the water or foam. If a pet does come into contact with the water or foam, rinse the animal with clean water before petting it.

On windy days there can be a lot of foam present at the lake. While NMDOH didn’t test the foam, other states with contaminated sites have shown that PFAS concentrations are greater in foam than water.

PFAS does not enter the body very well through skin contact; the primary concern is ingesting the water. While visitors may not intentionally drink the water at Lake Holloman, accidental ingestion can occur. For example, after kayaking in the lake, PFAS can be transferred from your hands to your food. Also, if dogs wade into the water and you pet them, you can transfer PFAS from your hands to your food.

PFAS are a diverse group of chemicals which may have harmful human health effects. The potential health effects of these compounds depend on how much you consume, how long you are exposed, and personal factors including age, lifestyle and overall health.

For more information about PFAS, please go here.

Content on the Beat

WARNING: All articles and photos with a byline or photo credit are copyrighted to the author or photographer. You may not use any information found within the articles without asking permission AND giving attribution to the source. Photos can be requested and may incur a nominal fee for use personally or commercially.

Disclaimer: If you find errors in articles not written by the Beat team but sent to us from other content providers, please contact the writer, not the Beat. For example, obituaries are always provided by the funeral home or a family member. We can fix errors, but please give details on where the error is so we can find it. News releases from government and non-profit entities are posted generally without change, except for legal notices, which incur a small charge.

NOTE: If an article does not have a byline, it was written by someone not affiliated with the Beat and then sent to the Beat for posting.

Images: We have received complaints about large images blocking parts of other articles. If you encounter this problem, click on the title of the article you want to read and it will take you to that article's page, which shows only that article without any intruders. 

New Columnists: The Beat continues to bring you new columnists. And check out the old faithfuls who continue to provide content.

Newsletter: If you opt in to the Join GCB Three Times Weekly Updates option above this to the right, you will be subscribed to email notifications with links to recently posted articles.

Submitting to the Beat

Those new to providing news releases to the Beat are asked to please check out submission guidelines at https://www.grantcountybeat.com/about/submissions. They are for your information to make life easier on the readers, as well as for the editor.

Advertising: Don't forget to tell advertisers that you saw their ads on the Beat.

Classifieds: We have changed Classifieds to a simpler option. Check periodically to see if any new ones have popped up. Send your information to editor@grantcountybeat.com and we will post it as soon as we can. Instructions and prices are on the page.

Editor's Notes

It has come to this editor's attention that people are sending information to the Grant County Beat Facebook page. Please be aware that the editor does not regularly monitor the page. If you have items you want to send to the editor, please send them to editor@grantcountybeat.com. Thanks!

Here for YOU: Consider the Beat your DAILY newspaper for up-to-date information about Grant County. It's at your fingertips! One Click to Local News. Thanks for your support for and your readership of Grant County's online news source—www.grantcountybeat.com

Feel free to notify editor@grantcountybeat.com if you notice any technical problems on the site. Your convenience is my desire for the Beat.  The Beat totally appreciates its readers and subscribers!  

Compliance: Because you are an esteemed member of The Grant County Beat readership, be assured that we at the Beat continue to do everything we can to be in full compliance with GDPR and pertinent US law, so that the information you have chosen to give to us cannot be compromised.