What you should note before seeking treatment advice
Begin by recording whether your water comes from the public water system SECURITY WSD serving El Paso County or from a private well. Knowing the water source and your connection type is key. Also, have on hand any recent water quality reports or test results specific to your household water supply, especially tests that measure perchlorate concentrations directly.
How water source characteristics affect what you should expect
The SECURITY WSD system draws from surface water, which tends to have different perchlorate profiles than groundwater. Surface water sources often reflect broader environmental inputs and may show different perchlorate levels than wells, which can be influenced by local subsurface conditions. The depth and location of a private well versus the surface water supply can shift perchlorate presence, meaning individual households may see variations outside the public system’s reported range.
How to compare El Paso County's perchlorate data with neighboring counties without overinterpreting
The public water system record for SECURITY WSD in El Paso County, collected from 2001 to 2005, showed no perchlorate detections above the EPA reporting threshold of 4.0 micrograms per liter, indicating perchlorate levels were either not present or below this level during sampling. Comparing this to a neighboring county’s results should be done carefully—differences in source water types, sampling periods, and system size may influence data. A lack of detection in El Paso’s surface water does not guarantee the same for adjacent areas, especially if they rely on groundwater.
The role of plumbing materials and age, separate from source water perchlorate levels
Plumbing systems do not affect perchlorate concentrations because perchlorate is a dissolved chemical that does not typically interact with pipes or fixtures materially. Age or materials of household plumbing usually impact metals or sediment-related issues rather than dissolved substances like perchlorate. Therefore, understanding plumbing conditions is essential for other water quality aspects but does not influence perchlorate presence.
How many samples and wells support El Paso County’s perchlorate data and what a small sample size implies
Data from SECURITY WSD includes 33 samples taken between 2001 and 2005. These samples represent the public water system as a whole, serving approximately 20,000 people across 7,519 connections. While this offers a snapshot of perchlorate presence in the community's water over that period, it does not substitute for current or household-specific tests. A relatively small number of samples from one system cannot rule out perchlorate variances at individual points of use or at other times.
For households concerned about perchlorate, obtaining a direct water test at the tap or well is required to understand individual conditions precisely. If perchlorate is a concern, treatment options such as the Autotrol Perchlorate Filter system ship ready to configure for home use, providing a method to reduce perchlorate concentrations where needed.
In summary, El Paso County’s public water system records indicate perchlorate levels have not been detected above reporting levels, but household conditions may differ. Deciding on treatment begins with knowing your water source and obtaining a current, household-specific perchlorate test.
Where this information comes from
Source: EPA SDWIS public water system record. Sampled 2001-10-17. These figures describe the public water system's record, not the plumbing inside any individual building.
On record: EPA UCMR1 monitoring (2001-2005) for SECURITY WSD (CO0121775), CO: 33 results across 1 listed contaminants, 0 detections above the reporting level; nothing detected above the method reporting level
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