Photo: Jeffrey Beall · CC BY 4.0Living in Des Moines, NM: what to set up and who to call
Des Moines Water System reported 10 health-based violations to EPA in the last five years: a groundwater treatment requirement (Groundwater Rule) ×9, a lead and copper treatment requirement (Lead and Copper Rule Revisions). 77% of systems its size reported none. Power in Des Moines comes from Southwestern Electric Coop, a cooperative utility rather than a private company.
I’m new in town
What to set up in Des Moines, and who provides it. Tap an answer for the details and where they come from.
Power, water and internet
Who to call to start service at a new address in Des Moines.
Power comes from Southwestern Electric Coop
Southwestern Electric Coop (Southwestern Electric Coop Inc - (NM)), a cooperative utility, serves all of Des Moines. Its homes paid an average of 25.3¢ per kWh in 2025, about $135 a month (its average across New Mexico).
Service territory: HIFLD Electric Retail Service Territories (map dated Aug 2023). Prices and customers: EIA-861, 2025.
Water comes from Des Moines Water System
Des Moines Water System supplies almost all of Des Moines. It draws ground water and serves 218 people in all.
10 health-based violations reported to EPA in the five years to October 2026: a groundwater treatment requirement (Groundwater Rule) ×9, a lead and copper treatment requirement (Lead and Copper Rule Revisions), the latest beginning Oct 2024. 77% of the 15,074 systems serving 101–500 people had none.
The latest lead result on file, the 90th percentile of homes sampled in Jan 2024–Dec 2026, was 1.0 ppb, below the 15 ppb action level that applied. That’s higher than 52% of similar systems’ latest results.
The system’s full record: EPA ECHO report
EPA SDWIS via Envirofacts (violations pulled Oct 9, 2026) and ECHO (lead samples, 2026Q3); service area: EPA Community Water System Service Area Boundaries v3.0. Violations are counted by the start of their compliance period. NM3527131.
2 home internet providers serve Des Moines
0% of 99 addresses can get 100/20 Mbps; 1% can get fiber.
| Provider | Technology | Addresses | Fastest (Mbps) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Baca Valley Telephone | DSL, Fiber | 100% | 25/3 |
| T-Mobile | Fixed wireless | 4% | 25/3 |
FCC National Broadband Map, as of December 2025. Availability as providers report it, not speeds people get.
We don’t have Des Moines’ trash rules yet
Pickup rules, the dump and recycling in Des Moines.
Where your child goes to school
Public school districts and the school path by grade.
Des Moines is in Des Moines Municipal Schools.
Test scores and every school: see Schools →U.S. Department of Education, NCES Common Core of Data, 2024–25. Enrollment rules and registration are the district’s.
Town hall and registering to vote
Who to call, and how to register.
Election office: FVAP local election office directory, updated Dec 2025; jurisdictions: EAC EAVS 2024. Registration rules and links: vote.gov, updated Aug 27, 2026.
Des Moines is in ZIP code 88418
ZIP codes where Des Moines residents live, with the share of the town in each.
| ZIP | Post office name | Share of Des Moines | ZIP’s residents in Des Moines |
|---|---|---|---|
| 88418 | Des Moines, NM | 100% | 39% |
Census 2020 ZIP Code Tabulation Areas, by census block; post office names: GeoNames (CC BY 4.0). ZIPs created since 2020 are missing.
Getting around, the ER and the library
One line each; the subject pages have the rest.
ER: CMS hospital data. Library: IMLS Public Libraries Survey, FY2024.
Questions about living in Des Moines
Who supplies Des Moines’ drinking water, and has it had violations?
Des Moines Water System (EPA ID NM3527131). It reported 10 health-based violations to EPA in the five years to October 2026: a groundwater treatment requirement (Groundwater Rule) ×9, a lead and copper treatment requirement (Lead and Copper Rule Revisions). 77% of systems its size had none. Its latest lead 90th percentile was 1.0 ppb (Jan 2024–Dec 2026), against a 15 ppb action level.
Who provides electricity in Des Moines?
Southwestern Electric Coop (Southwestern Electric Coop Inc - (NM)), a cooperative utility. Its homes paid about 25.3¢ per kWh in 2025 (EIA).
What internet providers serve Des Moines?
Baca Valley Telephone, T-Mobile (FCC, as of December 2025).
What ZIP codes are in Des Moines?
88418. Census 2020 ZIP Code Tabulation Areas.
What school district is Des Moines in?
Des Moines Municipal Schools.
How do I register to vote in Des Moines?
In New Mexico you can register online until 28 days before Election Day, in person up to and including Election Day, or by mail (postmarked 28 days before). Elections here are run by the Union County Clerk. Check your registration at voterportal.servis.sos.state.nm.us.
Sources & dates
Every answer above names its source. Here they are with their dates.
- Water: EPA SDWIS (Envirofacts, pulled Oct 9, 2026), ECHO SDWA 2026Q3, EPA CWS Service Area Boundaries v3.0.
- Power: HIFLD Electric Retail Service Territories (map Aug 2023); EIA-861 final 2025.
- Trash: OpenStreetMap, Geofabrik extract of Oct 9, 2026. © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL).
- ZIP codes: Census 2020 ZCTA relationship files; GeoNames postal codes (CC BY 4.0).
- Schools: NCES Common Core of Data, 2024–25.
- Registration: vote.gov, updated Aug 27, 2026 (read Oct 10, 2026). Official sites and area codes: Wikidata.
- Election office: FVAP local election office directory (fetched Oct 10, 2026; each record dated), EAC EAVS 2024 jurisdictions; registration and lookup links from vote.gov’s state data, checked Oct 10, 2026.
- Internet: FCC National Broadband Map, as of December 2025.