PlainEnviro

Otero, NM

Moderate Risk (37/100)

Transparent derived index from EPA TRI / SDWIS / Superfund extracts: not an official EPA rating. Fixed caps: facilities ≤25 pts (50+ = max), log10 releases ≤25 pts, Superfund ≤25 pts (5/site), health-violation systems ≤15 pts (3/system), high-chemical facilities ≤10 pts. Bands: High ≥60, Moderate ≥30. See methodology.

Environmental data for Otero in New Mexico · Population: 68,235

TRI sites such as US Dod Usaf Holloman Afb; US Dod Usaf Holloman Afb Range; SDWIS systems such as ALAMOGORDO DOMESTIC WATER SYSTEM; LAKE SECTION WATER COMPANY; HOLLOMAN AIR FORCE BASE anchor Otero, NM's EPA extract. Derived burden score 37/100 (Moderate Risk) uses fixed national caps on density, log release volume, Superfund count, and health-flagged systems - not an official EPA rating.

Health-flagged SDWIS rows in Otero include LAKE SECTION WATER COMPANY; TULAROSA WATER SYSTEM; CLOUDCROFT WATER SYSTEM, while US Dod Usaf Holloman Afb leads reported TRI pounds among local Form R filers. No AQS county monitors report here.

Burden score 37/100 (Moderate Risk) is the only weighted composite on this page. The tables below list every TRI facility, SDWIS system, and Superfund site EPA has on record for Otero -- not just the names called out above -- reproducing the disclosure history as filed, not a current-safety verdict. Extract current as of 2026-08-25.

Release-over-release change

What changed for Otero, NM: EPA TRI 2023 reporting year

2022 → 2023

Same facilities, both years

+0.7%

2 facilities that filed in 2022 and 2023

Whole inventory

+0.7%

190.1 thousand lb → 191.5 thousand lb, every facility that filed

  • Otero, NM's total reported releases rose from 190.1 thousand lb in 2022 to 191.5 thousand lb in 2023, based on EPA TRI filings.
  • Otero, NM's land releases fell from 3.0 thousand lb in 2022 to 1.1 thousand lb in 2023, based on EPA TRI filings.
  • Otero, NM's air releases fell from 1.4 thousand lb in 2022 to 910 lb in 2023, based on EPA TRI filings.
  • Otero, NM's chemicals reported fell from 7 in 2022 to 5 in 2023, based on EPA TRI filings.
County population (Census ACS)
68,235
TRI Facilities
2
Water Systems
31
Superfund Sites
0
Total Releases
910.3K lbs

Water Systems (31)

System System pop (SDWIS) Violations
ALAMOGORDO DOMESTIC WATER SYSTEM 35,301 0
LAKE SECTION WATER COMPANY 14,619 5
HOLLOMAN AIR FORCE BASE 13,000 0
TULAROSA WATER SYSTEM 3,485 32
CLOUDCROFT WATER SYSTEM 2,865 1
TIMBERON W AND SD 2,698 10
LA LUZ MDWCA 1,917 0
CLOUD COUNTRY WEST WATER SYSTEM 684 0
BOLES ACRES WATER SYSTEM 657 0
ROBINHOOD WATER USERS ASSOCIATION 426 2
HIGH ROLLS COMMUNITY WATER USERS COOP 364 20
WATERFALL COMMUNITY WUA 342 0
CHALET CAMPER VILLAGE 226 5
PINON MDWCA 215 0
SILVER CLOUD WATER ASSOCIATION 205 0
CHIPPEWAY PARK WATER ASSOCIATION 193 41
PONDEROSA PINES PROPERTY OWNERS ASSOC 147 9
OROGRANDE MDWCA 110 2
KARR CANYON ESTATES 108 7
MOUNTAIN ORCHARD MDWCA 105 6
WEED WATER USERS ASSOCIATION 81 0
SKY COUNTRY ESTATES MDWCA 81 4
CIDER MILL FARMS MDWCA 76 0
JUNIPER MOBILE PARK 75 11
LABORCITA WATER USERS ASSOCIATION 70 0
DUNGAN MDWCA 64 21
ROLLING HILLS WUA 57 4
ALAMO HEIGHTS WUA 52 5
ENCHANTED VALLEY WUA 40 7
CANYON HILLS AREA WUA 32 18
NATIONAL SOLAR OBSERVATORY 26 1

TRI Facilities (2)

# Facility Total Releases
1 US Dod Usaf Holloman Afb 902.1K lbs
2 US Dod Usaf Holloman Afb Range 8.1K lbs

Cities in Otero (11)

Holloman Afb
2 facilities · 1 water
Cloudcroft
0 facilities · 9 water
Alamogordo
0 facilities · 5 water
High Rolls
0 facilities · 5 water
La Luz
0 facilities · 4 water
Orogrande
0 facilities · 1 water
Pinon
0 facilities · 1 water
Sunspot
0 facilities · 1 water
Timberon
0 facilities · 1 water
Tularosa
0 facilities · 1 water
Weed
0 facilities · 1 water

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the environmental risk level in Otero, New Mexico? ▼
Otero, NM has an environmental risk score of 37/100 (Moderate Risk), based on 2 TRI facilities, 0 Superfund sites, and 31 water systems on record. 20 water systems have health-based violations. Source: EPA TRI, SDWIS, and Superfund NPL.
Are there Superfund sites in Otero? ▼
No Superfund National Priorities List (NPL) sites are currently registered in Otero, NM in the EPA database.
How many toxic release facilities are in Otero? ▼
Otero, NM has 2 TRI-reporting facilities on record with the EPA Toxic Release Inventory, with a combined total of 910.3K lbs in reported toxic releases. TRI facilities self-report annual chemical release data to the EPA.
What is the air quality in Otero? ▼
Air quality monitoring data (EPA AQS) is not available for Otero, NM. This may indicate no EPA monitoring stations are located in the county. For regional air quality data, see the state environmental profile or visit EPA's AirNow.gov.
Is the drinking water safe in Otero? ▼
Otero, NM has 31 EPA-regulated water systems. 20 systems have reported health-based violations (MCL exceedances). A past violation does not necessarily mean water is currently unsafe. For current water quality, contact your local water utility. Source: EPA SDWIS.
What environmental agencies cover Otero? ▼
Environmental compliance in Otero, New Mexico is overseen by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) at the federal level and the New Mexico state environmental agency. Facilities report to the EPA Toxic Release Inventory, water systems are regulated under the Safe Drinking Water Act, and contaminated sites are managed under the Superfund program. Contact your state environmental agency for local concerns.

What does this county environmental profile show?

This county environmental profile rolls up EPA Toxics Release Inventory facility reports, Safe Drinking Water Information System public-water-system filings, and Superfund National Priorities List sites for the county boundary defined by the U.S. Census Bureau. Facility counts reflect facilities with a reporting address inside the county, not where downstream environmental effects may be observed. Population figures are from the most recent Census ACS 5-year estimate. The county detail page is updated whenever the upstream EPA programs publish revised data; see the methodology page for the documented ingest cadence and the editorial choices governing how aggregations are computed.

Related Guides

Understanding EPA Data
How EPA collects and publishes environmental data
Environmental Justice
Who lives near polluters and environmental hazards
How to Check Environmental Quality
Step-by-step guide to checking your local environment

Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.

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Data sourced from U.S. EPA environmental datasets. See our methodology for details. Retrieved and formatted by PlainEnviro