July 2024 Technical Noon Webinar

Zoom (Registration is Required - Click on ORANGE button above to register)

Wednesday, July 17, 2024 | 12:00 – 1:00 p.m.

Assessment of Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances in Water Resources

of New Mexico

Kimberly Beisner

United States Geological Survey

ABSTRACT: 

Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) were sampled and analyzed from public and private drinking-water wells, springs, and surface waters in New Mexico by USGS starting in 2020.  PFAS were found in samples from all major rivers of New Mexico with sites downstream from urban areas showing an increase in PFAS detections. The majority of the groundwater samples from this study did not have any detections of PFAS, but there were some PFAS detected from groundwater in areas without previously known PFAS occurrence. Results of the study provide an overview of PFAS occurrences in the water resources of New Mexico along with geochemical context and are used to identify areas for further scientific investigations that could further characterize PFAS occurrences in New Mexico.

SPEAKER BIOGRAPY:

Kimberly Beisner has worked with USGS for 17 years beginning in the Utah Water Science Center as a graduate student working on mercury and selenium associated with the Great Salt Lake and abandoned uranium mines in southern Utah. Following graduation, she joined the Arizona Water Science center where she has worked on geochemical studies related to the lands withdrawn from uranium mining near the Grand Canyon, water resources at Saguaro National Park, and stable isotope and noble gas evaluation groundwater of the Verde watershed to understand recharge elevation. She served as the New Mexico Water Quality Specialist and is now a Research Hydrologist focused on multiple geochemical and anthropogenic tracers including per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances and continues to work with the Arizona Water Science Center in the Grand Canyon.

REGISTRATION:

Membership in AWWA or WEF is not required. Registration is limited, so please register early. All attendees must pre-register for this webinar by Tuesday evening,7/16/24/24 at 5:00 p.m.  Water and wastewater operators will be asked for NM Operator Certification number on the online registration form.

UPCOMING EVENT: 

The August 21 webinar will feature a presentation by Scott Verhines, P.E., on infrastructure damage resulting from post-wildfire flooding in NM.