New Jersey
PFAS water filters in New Jersey
What New Jersey's rules say, what local utilities found, and how to cut PFAS at your tap.
The rules in New Jersey
- State history: New Jersey set the nation's first PFNA limit in 2018, then PFOA and PFOS limits in 2020. EPA's 2024 limits are stricter and will replace them[1].
- Federal limits: PFOA and PFOS 4.0 ppt, with compliance by April 26, 2029[2].
- Private wells: the Private Well Testing Act has required PFNA, PFOA, and PFOS testing at sale and for landlords since December 1, 2021. Of more than 16,000 wells tested through 2023, 11.2% had at least one PFAS above a state standard[1]. See the PWTA guide.
- Help paying: the NJ Spill Fund's financial relief criteria are 4 ppt for PFOA and PFOS, 10 ppt for PFNA, PFHxS, and GenX, and 2,000 ppt for PFBS. Owners above them may be reimbursed for testing and helped with treatment[1].
PFAS results for utilities we serve
| Utility | Max PFOA | Max PFOS | PFAS types found |
|---|---|---|---|
| New Jersey American Water (Raritan system) | 7.5 ppt ▲ | 6.8 ppt ▲ | 6 |
| New Jersey American Water (Western system) | 4.3 ppt ▲ | 4.4 ppt ▲ | 5 |
| Franklin Township Department of Public Works | 9 ppt ▲ | Not detected | 4 |
| Washington Township MUA | 9 ppt ▲ | Not detected | 5 |
| Merchantville-Pennsauken Water Commission | 12 ppt ▲ | 8.2 ppt ▲ | 6 |
| Evesham MUA | Not detected | Not detected | 2 |
| Mount Laurel Township MUA | 4.5 ppt ▲ | 9 ppt ▲ | 3 |
| Moorestown Water Department | 4.3 ppt ▲ | Not detected | 4 |
| Mantua Township MUA | 4.8 ppt ▲ | 4 ppt ▲ | 4 |
| Flemington Water Department | 9.5 ppt ▲ | 7.8 ppt ▲ | 6 |
EPA UCMR 5 sampling, 2023–2025, for utilities serving the ZIPs we cover[3]. ▲ = at or above the 4.0 ppt federal limit[2]. Results are maximums from the sampling period, not what's in your tap today; utilities may have added treatment since.
How to reduce PFAS at home
- Know your numbers. Read your utility's results, or test a well with a certified lab.
- Drinking water first. A reverse osmosis system certified under NSF/ANSI 58 at the kitchen sink[1]. See reverse osmosis.
- Every tap? We don't currently install whole-house PFAS treatment; most exposure is from drinking and cooking water.
- Keep it working. Change media on schedule and retest.
Compare options: tankless vs. tank RO. What drives price: PFAS filter cost. Background: PFAS explained.
Where we install in New Jersey
Free water report
Look up PFAS for your NJ ZIP
Look up what your local water utility has reported to the EPA, then take a 60-second quiz about what you see, taste, and smell at home. We'll use both to recommend the right solution.
Get your water report
Enter your ZIP code to see your utility's violations, lead testing, and PFAS results from public EPA records, explained in plain English.
Data comes from U.S. EPA and Census public records. It covers public water systems, not private wells, and it isn't a test of your home's tap. If you're on a well, a free in-home test is the best way to know what's in your water.
Hard water
Hard water has a lot of dissolved calcium and magnesium. It leaves scale on fixtures and in water heaters, spots on dishes, and makes soap lather poorly.
Chlorine & chloramine
Utilities add these to kill germs. They keep water safe on its way to you, but many people dislike the taste and smell.
Lead
Lead usually gets into water from old service lines, pipes, solder, and fixtures. The U.S. banned lead pipes and lead solder in drinking-water plumbing in 1986.
PFAS
PFAS are long-lasting "forever chemicals" found in many water supplies. In 2024 the EPA set the first national drinking-water limits for several of them.
Step 2
Your recommended solution
Based on your water report and quiz answers.
Common questions
Does my NJ tap water have PFAS?
Check the table on this page or your utility's annual water quality report. For an exact answer at your tap, run the free water report for your ZIP.
What removes PFAS from drinking water?
Reverse osmosis, granular activated carbon, and ion exchange can all reduce PFAS; we use reverse osmosis at the kitchen sink. Look for NSF/ANSI 53 or 58 certification for the PFAS you need to reduce.
Do I need a whole-house PFAS system?
Most exposure is from drinking and cooking water, so we treat PFAS with reverse osmosis at the kitchen sink. We don't currently install whole-house PFAS treatment.
Will the NJ Spill Fund pay for a PFAS filter?
If your private well tests above the Spill Fund's financial relief criteria, it may reimburse testing and help with treatment. Check eligibility with NJDEP before you buy.
Know your PFAS numbers. Then fix them.
Sources
- NJ Department of Health: PFAS and private wells in New Jersey (July 2025). www.nj.gov/health/ceohs/documents/pfas_well_water.pdf
- U.S. EPA: Proposed PFOA and PFOS compliance extension rule. www.epa.gov/sdwa/proposed-pfoa-and-pfos-compliance-extension-rule
- U.S. EPA: UCMR occurrence data. www.epa.gov/dwucmr/occurrence-data-unregulated-contaminant-monitoring-rule
- NJDEP: Private well treatment. dep.nj.gov/privatewells/treatment/
EPA records retrieved Oct 2026 from the EPA SDWIS and UCMR 5 public datasets. Utility records describe a water system, not the tap in your home. Records can lag and may be incomplete.