Testing the water

A traveling environmental laboratory is giving New Mexico residents a rare opportunity to learn what’s in their drinking water, one sample at a time.

Dr. Michael E. Ketterer, a retired professor and environmental chemist formerly with Northern Arizona University, recently partnered with community advocates to bring water testing outreach to Socorro as part of a broader effort to study contamination linked to uranium mining and nuclear history in the region.

Ketterer, now working with the Uranium Weapons Working Group under Veterans for Peace, helped coordinate a community sampling effort tied to a March 11 screening of the documentary First We Bombed New Mexico in Socorro. At the event, attendees were invited to take part in a free, volunteer-led study by collecting water samples from their homes.

“We’re trying to give people direct information about their water,” Ketterer said. “This is about public outreach and helping communities understand potential risks.”

The effort collected 80 water samples—most from New Mexico, with some from Colorado. While the samples are processed anonymously, Ketterer said he is confident that some came from Socorro County residents.

Participants returned their samples to Socorro City Hall, and Ketterer analyzed them using a custom-built mobile laboratory stationed in Bernalillo. The lab, housed in a converted 17-foot trailer, contains specialized equipment capable of detecting trace levels of metals such as uranium, arsenic and lead.

The device, known as an inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometer, is typically found in large municipal or commercial laboratories.

“It’s the same technology used by cities to ensure compliance with federal drinking water standards,” Ketterer said.

While Ketterer said most samples from the event showed no immediate cause for concern, some revealed elevated levels of contaminants that could pose long-term health risks.

“We will be able to tell some people, ‘You have a problem with arsenic in your water,’ or ‘You have a problem with uranium,’” he said.

In some cases, contaminant levels approached or exceeded federal guidelines. Even when levels fell just below regulatory limits, Ketterer emphasized caution.

“If I see arsenic close to the maximum contaminant level, I’m going to tell people to take it seriously,” he said. “From a personal standpoint, I wouldn’t want to drink that water.”

Lead contamination, he noted, often comes from household plumbing rather than natural sources, meaning homeowners may need to investigate and address the issue themselves.

The project may be especially valuable in Socorro and Catron counties, where many residents rely on private wells that are not subject to routine federal testing.

“There’s definitely a need for people to find out what’s in their water,” Ketterer said. “Some people could be drinking contaminated water for decades and not even know it.”

Unlike municipal systems, which are required to monitor and report water quality, private well owners are responsible for their own testing and treatment.

Ketterer emphasized that the Socorro effort is not a one-time event. Plans are already underway for additional sampling campaigns in New Mexico and neighboring states, with future stops expected in Colorado and possibly other parts of the state later this year.

Residents interested in participating can request sampling kits, though Ketterer said coordination through local groups is preferred to streamline the process.

“If there’s a community group in Socorro willing to help distribute and collect samples, that’s the ideal scenario,” he said.

Samples collected in the coming weeks may be included in the next round of testing, with results expected as early as late April.

Beyond the data, Ketterer said the project aims to build awareness about the lasting environmental impacts of uranium mining and nuclear weapons development in the Southwest.

By combining scientific testing with grassroots outreach, organizers hope to empower residents with knowledge—and encourage broader conversations about environmental health in communities like Socorro.

“This is something people deserve to know,” Ketterer said. “It’s their water.”

For more information on having your water tested or becoming a local point of contact for regional water testing outreach, contact Ketterer at Michael.E.Ketterer@gmail.com.