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 — 2 sit at or above that limit.
- Reporting year
- 2024
- Contaminants measured
- 20
- Over federal limit
- 2
- Approaching the limit
- 0
- Worst contaminant
- PFOA
- 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×)PFOS (Perfluorooctane sulfonic acid)
● Over EPA limit (1.7×)PFHxS (Perfluorohexane sulfonic acid)
● Below limitPFHxA
● Detected (no federal limit)PFPeA
● Detected (no federal limit)PFBA
● Detected (no federal limit)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.
Compliance history
Federal Safe Drinking Water Act violation & enforcement records (EPA SDWIS). A violation is a regulatory determination by the state or EPA — separate from the measured levels above.
- Treatment technique violationHealth-based1 violation on record · most recent Sep 2010resolved
Source: EPA SDWIS / ECHO. View the full federal record on EPA ECHO ↗
Disinfection byproducts
| Contaminant | Measured | Federal limit | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| BromateA disinfection byproduct formed when bromide-containing water is treated with ozone. | 7 ug/LReported levelSystem-wide | None set | Within the limit |
Physical & aggregate
| Contaminant | Measured | Federal limit | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| TurbidityA measure of cloudiness from suspended particles in the water. | 0.4 NTUHighest single sampleSystem-wide | None set | Within the limit |
| HardnessA measure of dissolved calcium and magnesium minerals. | 143 mg/LReported levelSystem-wide | None set | Detected — no federal 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 |
Disinfectants
| Contaminant | Measured | Federal limit | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| ChloramineA longer-lasting disinfectant made by combining chlorine with ammonia. | 1.1 mg/LHighest single sampleSystem-wide | 4 mg/LMRDLG | Within the limit |
Metals
| Contaminant | Measured | Federal limit | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| CopperA metal that enters water from corroding household plumbing. | 0.3 mg/L90th percentileAt the tap | 1.3 mg/LMCLG | Within the limit |
| LeadA toxic metal that leaches into water from old service lines, solder, and plumbing fixtures. | 0.002 mg/L90th percentileAt the tap | 0.015 mg/LAction level | Within the limit |
| BariumA metal from erosion of natural deposits and industrial discharge. | 0.01 mg/LReported levelSystem-wide | 2 mg/LMCLG | Within the limit |
| AluminumA common element sometimes used as a treatment coagulant. | 0.02 mg/LReported levelSystem-wide | None set | Detected — no federal limit |
| IronA naturally occurring metal common in groundwater. | 0.02 mg/LReported levelSystem-wide | None set | Detected — no federal limit |
| ManganeseA naturally occurring metal from soil and rock. | 0.02 mg/LReported levelSystem-wide | None set | Detected — no federal limit |
| SodiumA naturally occurring salt component. | 39 mg/LReported levelSystem-wide | None set | Detected — no federal limit |
Inorganic chemicals
| Contaminant | Measured | Federal limit | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| NitrateA compound from fertilizer runoff, septic systems, and erosion of natural deposits. | 2 mg/LReported levelSystem-wide | 10 mg/LMCLG | Within the 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 | 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 |
VOCs & pesticides
| Contaminant | Measured | Federal limit | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1,2,3-TCP | 0.02 ug/LReported levelSystem-wide | None set | Detected — no federal limit |
People also ask about Elizabeth, NJ's water
+Is Elizabeth, NJ tap water safe to drink in 2024?
The 2024 Consumer Confidence Report for the Elizabeth, NJ water utility lists 2 contaminants at or above the federal limit: PFOA and PFOS. Whether that means the water is "unsafe" depends on which contaminant, how long the exposure, and individual health factors. The table on this page shows the measured value, the federal threshold, and the regulated statistic used for 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. 8 have an enforceable federal limit; the rest are detected but unregulated. Every measured value, in the utility's own units, is on this page.
+Which contaminants exceed federal limits in Elizabeth, NJ tap water?
2 contaminants in Elizabeth, NJ's 2024 report sit at or above the federal limit: PFOA (1.8× the limit); PFOS (1.3× the limit). The EPA enforces these limits against the regulated reporting statistic — typically a running annual average or 90th percentile — not a one-off sample spike.
+What is the worst contaminant in Elizabeth, NJ tap water?
The contaminant with the highest measured value relative to its federal limit in the 2024 report is PFOA, at 1.8× the federal threshold. It belongs to the pfas ("forever chemicals") family of contaminants.
+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.