Drinking water quality · 2024
· Verified
What's in Jersey City, NJ tap water
22 contaminants were measured in the Jersey City, 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
- 22
- 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 Jersey City, 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 (2.3×)PFOS (Perfluorooctane sulfonic acid)
● Over EPA limit (1.9×)PFHxS (Perfluorohexane sulfonic acid)
● Below limitPFPeA
● Detected (no federal limit)PFHxA
● Detected (no federal limit)Where your water comes from · EPA SDWIS
Jersey City, NJ's drinking water comes from surface water, drawn from 1 source.
Source
- RESERVOIR
Treatment
- JERSEY CITY RESERVOIR TP
Distribution
Also buys water from PASSAIC VALLEY WATER COMMISSION, VEOLIA WATER NEW JERSEY HACKENSACK.
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.
- Maximum contaminant level exceededHealth-based5 violations on record · most recent Aug 2020resolved
Source: EPA SDWIS / ECHO. View the full federal record on EPA ECHO ↗
Disinfection byproducts
| Contaminant | Measured | Federal limit | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| TTHMTotal trihalomethanes — a group of four chemicals (including chloroform) formed when chlorine reacts with natural organic matter. | 58.7 ug/LRunning annual avgSystem-wide | None set | Within the limit |
| HAA5Haloacetic acids — a group of five disinfection byproducts formed when disinfectants react with organic matter. | 37.2 ug/LRunning annual avgSystem-wide | None set | Within the limit |
Physical & aggregate
| Contaminant | Measured | Federal limit | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| TurbidityA measure of cloudiness from suspended particles in the water. | 0.619 NTUMaximumSystem-wide | None set | Within the limit |
| TOCTotal organic carbon — a measure of organic material dissolved in the water. | 1.3Running annual avgSystem-wide | None set | Detected — no federal limit |
Metals
| Contaminant | Measured | Federal limit | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| LeadA toxic metal that leaches into water from old service lines, solder, and plumbing fixtures. | 0.0051 mg/L90th percentileAt the tap | 0.015 mg/LAction level | Within the limit |
| BariumA metal from erosion of natural deposits and industrial discharge. | 0.293 mg/LMaximumSystem-wide | 2 mg/LMCLG | Within the limit |
| Antimony | 0.000637 mg/LReported levelNjdwsc | 0.006 mg/LMCL | Within the limit |
| CopperA metal that enters water from corroding household plumbing. | 0.112 mg/L90th percentileAt the tap | 1.3 mg/LAction level | Within the limit |
| ArsenicA naturally occurring element that also enters water from industry and agriculture. | 0.57 ug/LMinimumSystem-wide | 0 ug/LMCLG | Within the limit |
| ManganeseA naturally occurring metal from soil and rock. | 1.4 ug/LAverageSystem-wide | None set | Detected — no federal limit |
| NickelA metal from natural deposits and industrial discharge. | 0.000545 mg/LReported levelNjdwsc | None set | Detected — no federal limit |
Disinfectants
| Contaminant | Measured | Federal limit | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| ChlorineA disinfectant added to drinking water to kill bacteria and viruses. | 1.2 mg/LAverageNjdwsc | 4 mg/LMCL | Within the limit |
Inorganic chemicals
| Contaminant | Measured | Federal limit | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| NitrateA compound from fertilizer runoff, septic systems, and erosion of natural deposits. | 0.41 mg/LMaximumSystem-wide | 10 mg/LMCLG | Within the limit |
Other
| Contaminant | Measured | Federal limit | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nitrate Nitrite | 0.41 mg/LMaximumSystem-wide | 10 mg/LMCLG | Within the limit |
PFAS ("forever chemicals")
| Contaminant | Measured | Federal limit | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Perfluorononanoic acidPerfluorononanoic acid, a PFAS 'forever chemical.' | Not detected ng/LReported levelNjdwsc | None set | None detected |
| Perfluoroheptanoic acidPerfluoroheptanoic acid, a PFAS 'forever chemical.' | 1.1 ng/LAverageSystem-wide | None set | Detected — no federal limit |
Microbial
| Contaminant | Measured | Federal limit | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total ColiformA group of bacteria used as an indicator of overall water-system sanitation. | 4 %MaximumSystem-wide | 0 %MCLG | Detected — no federal limit |
People also ask about Jersey City, NJ's water
+Is Jersey City, NJ tap water safe to drink in 2024?
The 2024 Consumer Confidence Report for the Jersey City, 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 Jersey City, NJ tap water?
22 contaminants were measured in Jersey City, NJ's 2024 Consumer Confidence Report, spanning metals, pfas ("forever chemicals"), and disinfection byproducts. 12 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 Jersey City, NJ tap water?
2 contaminants in Jersey City, NJ's 2024 report sit at or above the federal limit: PFOA (1.8× the limit); PFOS (1.7× 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 Jersey City, 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 Jersey City, 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 Jersey City, 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.