PFAS in tap water, Essex County, New Jersey
12 of 18 water systems had PFAS-4 above our 0.5 ng/L benchmark at the latest sample. Highest: Verona Water Department, 68.1 ng/L. 14 had PFOA or PFOS above the 4 ng/L federal MCL in at least one sample.
18 community water systems · 891,795 people served · newest sample March 19, 2026
Water systems in Essex County
| Water system | People served | PFAS-4 at the latest sample | Entry points | Latest sample |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Newark Water Department | 294,274 | 4.9 ng/L above the 2029 federal MCL | 2 | November 15, 2023 |
| NJ American Water - Short Hills | 217,230 | 14.7 ng/L above the 2029 federal MCL | 12 | August 12, 2024 |
| East Orange Water Commission | 75,000 | 13 ng/L above the 2029 federal MCL | 1 | October 31, 2023 |
| Bloomfield Water Department | 53,315 | below the 3 to 4 ng/L reporting limit | 1 | August 27, 2024 |
| Montclair Water Bureau | 40,150 | 6.8 ng/L above the 2029 federal MCL | 3 | January 23, 2025 |
| Belleville Water Dept | 35,129 | below the 3 to 4 ng/L reporting limit | 1 | May 21, 2024 |
| Orange Water Dept | 30,134 | 16.7 ng/L above the 2029 federal MCL | 3 | August 26, 2025 |
| Nutley Water Dept | 29,500 | no PFAS-4 result yet | 1 | October 31, 2025 |
| Livingston TWP Div of Water | 27,391 | 53 ng/L above the 2029 federal MCL | 10 | May 27, 2025 |
| South Orange Water Department | 16,964 | 6.8 ng/L above the 2029 federal MCL | 1 | March 4, 2025 |
| Verona Water Department | 13,641 | 68.1 ng/L above the 2029 federal MCL | 3 | March 19, 2026 |
| Cedar Grove Water Dept | 12,900 | 11.4 ng/L above the 2029 federal MCL | 2 | January 23, 2024 |
| West Caldwell Water Department | 10,759 | 12.6 ng/L above the 2029 federal MCL | 1 | April 12, 2024 |
| Caldwell Water Dept | 9,027 | below the 3 to 4 ng/L reporting limit above the 2029 federal MCL in an earlier sample | 1 | November 11, 2024 |
| Glen Ridge Water Dept | 7,681 | below the 3 to 4 ng/L reporting limit above the 2029 federal MCL in an earlier sample | 1 | December 10, 2025 |
| Fairfield Water Dept | 7,400 | 6.6 ng/L above the 2029 federal MCL | 1 | March 11, 2025 |
| North Caldwell Water DEP | 6,000 | 13.3 ng/L above the 2029 federal MCL | 1 | October 29, 2025 |
| Roseland Water Dept | 5,300 | below the 3 to 4 ng/L reporting limit | 1 | December 8, 2025 |
Not sure which one is yours? The systems report their own service areas to EPA. Check your water bill or your utility's Consumer Confidence Report.
Cities and towns
- Bedminster
- Belleville town/township
- Belvidere
- Berkeley Heights town/township
- Bernards town/township
- Bernardsville
- Bloomfield town/township
- Caldwell
- Cedar Grove town/township
- Chatham
- Chester
- East Orange
- Fairfield town/township
- Far Hills
- Florham Park
- Franklin
- Frenchtown
- Glen Ridge
- Harding town/township
- Hillside town/township
- Irvington town/township
- Little Falls town/township
- Livingston town/township
- Maplewood town/township
- Mendham
- Millburn town/township
- Montclair town/township
- Mount Olive town/township
- New Providence
- Newark
- North Caldwell
- Nutley town/township
- Orange City-0717
- Oxford
- Roseland
- South Orange town/township
- Springfield
- Summit
- Union
- Verona town/township
- Warren town/township
- West Caldwell town/township
ZIP codes in Essex County
Census ZIP code tabulation areas that overlap the county. A ZIP served by one system opens that system's page; a ZIP shared by several systems lists them.
How to read these numbers
We compare PFAS-4 (PFOA + PFOS + PFNA + PFHxS) with this site's 0.5 ng/L benchmark, the same line as on the European pages. UCMR 5 reporting limits are 3 to 4 ng/L. So any quantified PFAS-4 compound is above the benchmark, and a clean result reads "below the 3 to 4 ng/L reporting limit", never zero. The US legal limit is the 4 ng/L federal MCL for PFOA and PFOS, which systems must meet from April 26, 2029 ("above the 2029 federal MCL").
EPA: "UCMR 5 results do not indicate compliance or noncompliance with the PFAS drinking water standards". Samples are taken where water enters the distribution system, not at your tap. A system may have changed sources or added treatment since. Source: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Office of Water, PFAS National Primary Drinking Water Regulation (NPDWR). Regulation details retrieved September 19, 2026. Every system page tracks the 2029 compliance date and the proposed rescission of the PFHxS, PFNA, HFPO-DA and Hazard Index limits.
This site is a data project, not an official source. If in doubt, check with your water supplier or local authority.