Drinking water quality · 2024
· Verified
What's in Elizabeth, NJ tap water
20 contaminants were measured in the Elizabeth, NJ water system's 2024 annual report. Each is shown below against its federal limit.
- Reporting year
- 2024
- Contaminants measured
- 20
- Over federal limit
- 0
- Approaching the limit
- 0
- Service area
- NJ
PFAS — EPA UCMR5 (2023–2025)
2 PFAS compounds above EPA limits in Elizabeth, NJ
The EPA finalized the first-ever federal drinking-water limits for six PFAS compounds in April 2024. These numbers come straight from EPA's UCMR5 lab dataset — every U.S. system serving more than 3,300 people tested every PFAS sample at an entry point to its distribution system. PFAS not listed below were either tested and not detected, or not yet sampled.
PFOA (Perfluorooctanoic acid)
● Over EPA limit (1.9×)near national p90 (13.649999999999999 ng/L across detecting U.S. systems)
PFOS (Perfluorooctane sulfonic acid)
● Over EPA limit (1.7×)below national p90 (19.900000000000006 ng/L across detecting U.S. systems)
PFHxS (Perfluorohexane sulfonic acid)
● Below limitbelow national p90 (12.049999999999997 ng/L across detecting U.S. systems)
PFHxA
● Detected (no federal limit)below national p90 (12.190000000000003 ng/L across detecting U.S. systems)
PFPeA
● Detected (no federal limit)below national p90 (15.95999999999999 ng/L across detecting U.S. systems)
PFBA
● Detected (no federal limit)below national p90 (18 ng/L across detecting U.S. systems)
Lithium
● Detected (no federal limit)below national p90 (76.59999999999991 mg/L across detecting U.S. systems)
Where your water comes from · EPA SDWIS
Elizabeth, NJ's drinking water comes from ground water, drawn from 58 sources.
Source
- NETHERWOOD · 12
- GREEN BROOK · 8
- WELL · 6
- STONY BROOK · 5
- + 19 more
Treatment
- SPRINGFIELD PLANT
- PAPEN ROAD WELL PLANT
- GREENBROOK PLANT - JEFFERSON AVE.
- + 9 more
Distribution
Also buys water from NJ AMERICAN WATER - LIBERTY, NJ AMERICAN WATER - SHORT HILLS, and 2 more.
Historical readings · EPA Six-Year Review (2012–2019)
2 contaminants historically over EPA limits in Elizabeth, NJ
Every U.S. public water system reports compliance-monitoring data to EPA. The Six-Year Review releases the 2012–2019 window as a single dataset — here's what your system reported, year by year. Values shown are the highest detection per analyte per year, compared to the federal MCL.
| Contaminant | Worst detection | EPA limit | Years (2012–2019) |
|---|---|---|---|
TTHM worst: 2018 | 0.124 mg/L 1.6× | 0.08 mg/L | '12'13'14'15'16'17'18'19 |
HAA5 worst: 2018 | 0.0834 mg/L 1.4× | 0.06 mg/L | '12'13'14'15'16'17'18'19 |
PCE worst: 2019 | 0.0032 mg/L within | 0.005 mg/L | '19 |
GROSS ALPHA worst: 2017 | 9 pCi/L within | 15 pCi/L | '12'14'17 |
BROMATE worst: 2014 | 0.006 mg/L within | 0.01 mg/L | '14'16'17'18'19 |
NITRATE worst: 2012 | 4.79 mg/L within | 10 mg/L | '12'13'14'15'16'17'18'19 |
NITRATE NITRITE worst: 2012 | 4.79 mg/L within | 10 mg/L | '12'13'14'15'16'17'18'19 |
FLUORIDE worst: 2014 | 0.92 mg/L within | 4 mg/L | '14'16'17'19 |
ARSENIC worst: 2014 | 0.002 mg/L within below national p90 | 0.01 mg/L | '14'17 |
TCE worst: 2019 | 0.001 mg/L within | 0.005 mg/L | '19 |
BARIUM worst: 2014 | 0.3 mg/L within above national p90 | 2 mg/L | '14'17 |
ATRAZINE worst: 2018 | 0.00037 mg/L within below national p90 | 0.003 mg/L | '18 |
DICHLOROMETHANE worst: 2019 | 0.0005 mg/L within | 0.005 mg/L | '19 |
DEHP worst: 2018 | 0.0004 mg/L within | 0.006 mg/L | '16'18 |
CIS DICHLOROETHYLENE 12 worst: 2019 | 0.001 mg/L within below national p90 | 0.07 mg/L | '19 |
TWOFOURD worst: 2018 | 0.000186 mg/L within below national p90 | 0.07 mg/L | '18 |
URANIUM worst: 2017 | 0.00566 ug/L within below national p90 | 30 ug/L | '12'14'17 |
COPPER worst: 2013 | 0.642 mg/L near national p90 | — | '13'14'15'16'17'18'19 |
LEAD worst: 2013 | 0.059 mg/L | — | '13'15'16'17'18'19 |
DBAA worst: 2012 | 0.0032 mg/L | — | '12'15'16'17'18 |
DCAA worst: 2012 | 0.0216 mg/L | — | '12'13'14'15'16'17'18'19 |
MBAA worst: 2012 | 0.0057 mg/L | — | '12'13'14'15'16'17'18 |
MCAA worst: 2012 | 0.0026 mg/L | — | '12'14'18 |
TCAA worst: 2012 | 0.0268 mg/L | — | '12'13'14'15'16'17'18'19 |
BROMODICHLOROMETHANE worst: 2012 | 0.0148 mg/L | — | '12'13'14'15'16'17'18'19 |
BROMOFORM worst: 2012 | 0.0043 mg/L | — | '12'13'14'15'16'17'18'19 |
CHLOROFORM worst: 2012 | 0.0698 mg/L | — | '12'13'14'15'16'17'18'19 |
DIBROMOCHLOROMETHANE worst: 2012 | 0.0086 mg/L | — | '12'13'14'15'16'17'18'19 |
Metals
| Contaminant | Measured | Federal limit | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| SodiumA naturally occurring salt component. | 39 mg/LReported levelSystem-wide | 50 mg/LMCL | Within the limit |
| ManganeseA naturally occurring metal from soil and rock. | 0.02 mg/LReported levelSystem-wide | 0.05 mg/LMCL | Within the limit |
| AluminumA common element sometimes used as a treatment coagulant. | 0.02 mg/LReported levelSystem-wide | 0.2 mg/LMCL | Within the limit |
| IronA naturally occurring metal common in groundwater. | 0.02 mg/LRangeRange Detected | 0.3 mg/LMCL | Within the limit |
VOCs & pesticides
| Contaminant | Measured | Federal limit | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1,2,3-TCP | 0.02 ug/LReported levelSystem-wide | 0.03 ug/LMCLG | Within the limit |
Physical & aggregate
| Contaminant | Measured | Federal limit | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| HardnessA measure of dissolved calcium and magnesium minerals. | 143 mg/LReported levelSystem-wide | 250 mg/LMCL | Within the limit |
| TOCTotal organic carbon — a measure of organic material dissolved in the water. | 1.2 mg/LRunning annual avgSystem-wide | None set | Detected — no federal limit |
| TurbidityA measure of cloudiness from suspended particles in the water. | 0.4 NTUHighest single sampleSystem-wide | None set | Detected — no federal limit |
Disinfectants
| Contaminant | Measured | Federal limit | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| ChloramineA longer-lasting disinfectant made by combining chlorine with ammonia. | 1.1 mg/LReported levelSystem-wide | 4 mg/LMRDLG | Within the limit |
PFAS ("forever chemicals")
| Contaminant | Measured | Federal limit | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Perfluorobutanesulfonic acidPerfluorobutanesulfonic acid, a shorter-chain PFAS 'forever chemical.' | 2.1 ng/LAverageSystem-wide | None set | Detected — no federal limit |
Radionuclides
| Contaminant | Measured | Federal limit | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Combined RadiumCombined radium-226 and radium-228 — naturally occurring radioactive elements. | 1 pCi/LReported levelSystem-wide | 0 pCi/LMCLG | Detected — no federal limit |
People also ask about Elizabeth, NJ's water
+Is Elizabeth, NJ tap water safe to drink in 2024?
Every one of the 20 contaminants measured in Elizabeth, NJ's 2024 Consumer Confidence Report is below its federal limit. "Safe" under the EPA's drinking-water standards is health-based, not aesthetic — but by those standards, no measured contaminant in this report exceeds its enforceable threshold. Individual health concerns (e.g. immunocompromised, infant, pregnancy) may warrant additional filtering regardless of compliance.
+What contaminants are in Elizabeth, NJ tap water?
20 contaminants were measured in Elizabeth, NJ's 2024 Consumer Confidence Report, spanning metals, pfas ("forever chemicals"), and physical & aggregate. 15 have an enforceable federal limit; the rest are detected but unregulated. Every measured value, in the utility's own units, is on this page.
+Where does the data on this page come from?
Every value is transcribed from Elizabeth, NJ's 2024 Consumer Confidence Report — the annual drinking-water report every U.S. public water utility is required by federal law to publish. The original source document is archived and viewable on this site. A water-quality report covers an entire service area, not a single address.
+How often is Elizabeth, NJ's water quality data updated?
Each U.S. public water utility publishes one Consumer Confidence Report per year, covering the prior calendar year's measurements. This page reflects the 2024 report; a new report will replace it once the utility publishes its next annual update.