# Lakewood, NJ — Drinking Water Quality (2025)

> Contaminant levels for the Lakewood, NJ public water system from its 2025 Consumer Confidence Report, compared to federal limits.

- Page: https://www.thewatermap.com/water/nj/lakewood/2025
- JSON API: https://www.thewatermap.com/api/water/nj/lakewood/2025
- Source: the utility's annual Consumer Confidence Report (CCR)
- Verification: transcribed by a model, cross-checked by a second model, approved before publishing
- Reporting year: 2025
- Contaminants measured: 33
- Contaminants with a federal limit: 20
- Contaminants at or above the federal limit: 4
- Part of The Water Map — https://www.thewatermap.com

## Contaminants measured

| Contaminant | Category | Measured level | Sampling context | Federal limit | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chloramine | Disinfectants | 1.62 mg/L (Reported level) | System-wide | 4 mg/L (MRDLG) | Within the limit |
| Chlorine | Disinfectants | 1.42 mg/L (Reported level) | System-wide | 4 mg/L (MRDLG) | Within the limit |
| Chlorite | Disinfection byproducts | 0.39 mg/L (Reported level) | System-wide | 0.8 mg/L (MCLG) | Within the limit |
| Chloride | Inorganic chemicals | 119 mg/L (Range) | Range Detected | 250 mg/L (MCL) | Within the limit |
| Fluoride | Inorganic chemicals | 0.52 mg/L (Range) | Range Detected | 2 mg/L (MCLG) | Within the limit |
| Nitrate | Inorganic chemicals | 1.76 mg/L (Reported level) | System-wide | 10 mg/L (MCLG) | Within the limit |
| Sulfate | Inorganic chemicals | 29.6 mg/L (Reported level) | System-wide | 250 mg/L (MCL) | Within the limit |
| Aluminum | Metals | 0.13 mg/L (Reported level) | System-wide | 0.2 mg/L (MCLG) | Within the limit |
| Copper | Metals | 0.153 mg/L (90th percentile) | At the tap | 1.3 mg/L (MCLG) | Within the limit |
| Iron | Metals | 0.31 mg/L (Range) | Range Detected | 0.3 mg/L (MCL) | At or above the limit |
| Lead | Metals | 2 ug/L (90th percentile) | At the tap | 0 ug/L (MCLG) | Detected — no federal limit |
| Lithium | Metals | 3.68 (Average) | System-wide | No federal limit | Detected — no federal limit |
| Manganese | Metals | 34 ug/L (Range) | Range Detected | 50 ug/L (MCL) | Within the limit |
| Sodium | Metals | 69.9 mg/L (Reported level) | System-wide | 50 mg/L (MCL) | At or above the limit |
| Escherichia coli (E. coli) | Microbial | 0 (Highest single sample) | Percentage | 0 (MCLG) | None detected |
| Total Coliform | Microbial | Not detected (Highest single sample) | Percentage | 0 (MCLG) | None detected |
| Hexafluoropropylene oxide dimer acid | PFAS ("forever chemicals") | 0 (Average) | System-wide | No federal limit | Detected — no federal limit |
| Perfluorobutanesulfonic acid | PFAS ("forever chemicals") | 0.69 ng/L (Average) | System-wide | No federal limit | Detected — no federal limit |
| Perfluoroheptanoic acid | PFAS ("forever chemicals") | 0.316 ng/L (Average) | System-wide | No federal limit | Detected — no federal limit |
| Perfluorohexanesulfonic acid | PFAS ("forever chemicals") | 0 (Average) | System-wide | No federal limit | Detected — no federal limit |
| Perfluorohexanoic acid | PFAS ("forever chemicals") | 3.4 (Average) | System-wide | No federal limit | Detected — no federal limit |
| Perfluorononanoic acid | PFAS ("forever chemicals") | 0 (Average) | System-wide | No federal limit | Detected — no federal limit |
| Perfluoropentanoic acid | PFAS ("forever chemicals") | 2.75 (Average) | System-wide | No federal limit | Detected — no federal limit |
| PFBA | PFAS ("forever chemicals") | 4.85 (Average) | System-wide | No federal limit | Detected — no federal limit |
| PFOA | PFAS ("forever chemicals") | 4.3 (Average) | System-wide | 4 (MCL) | At or above the limit |
| PFOS | PFAS ("forever chemicals") | 0.18 (Average) | System-wide | No federal limit | Detected — no federal limit |
| Hardness | Physical & aggregate | 140 mg/L (Reported level) | System-wide | 250 mg/L (MCL) | Within the limit |
| TOC | Physical & aggregate | 24 % (Range) | System-wide | No federal limit | Detected — no federal limit |
| Combined Radium | Radionuclides | 2.48 pCi/L (Reported level) | System-wide | 0 pCi/L (MCLG) | Detected — no federal limit |
| Gross Alpha | Radionuclides | 8.34 pCi/L (Range) | Range Detected | 0 pCi/L (MCLG) | Detected — no federal limit |
| Radon | Radionuclides | 10 (Reported level) | Shrewsbury Area Wells - 10 | No federal limit | Detected — no federal limit |
| 1,2,3-TCP | VOCs & pesticides | 0.01 ug/L (Reported level) | System-wide | 0.0005 ug/L (MCLG) | At or above the limit |
| Volatile Organic Compounds | VOCs & pesticides | 10 (Reported level) | Shrewsbury Area Wells - 10 | No federal limit | Detected — no federal limit |

## What these contaminants are

- **Chloramine** — A longer-lasting disinfectant made by combining chlorine with ammonia. Holds disinfection further into the pipe network, but is regulated under the same residual-disinfectant cap as chlorine.
- **Chlorine** — A disinfectant added to drinking water to kill bacteria and viruses. Effective and necessary, but high residual levels can cause taste and odor issues; the EPA caps the residual disinfectant level.
- **Chloride** — A naturally occurring salt compound. Regulated only as a secondary (cosmetic) standard; high levels cause a salty taste and can corrode pipes.
- **Fluoride** — A mineral often added to drinking water to help prevent tooth decay. Beneficial at low levels, but long-term exposure above the federal limit can cause bone disease and tooth mottling.
- **Nitrate** — A compound from fertilizer runoff, septic systems, and erosion of natural deposits. Levels above the federal limit can cause 'blue baby syndrome,' a serious oxygen-transport condition in infants.
- **Sulfate** — A naturally occurring mineral from rock and soil. No health-based federal limit; high levels can have a laxative effect and a bitter taste.
- **Aluminum** — A common element sometimes used as a treatment coagulant. Regulated only as a secondary (cosmetic) standard; high levels can discolor water.
- **Copper** — A metal that enters water from corroding household plumbing. Short-term exposure causes stomach distress; long-term exposure can damage the liver and kidneys.
- **Iron** — A naturally occurring metal common in groundwater. Regulated only as a secondary (cosmetic) standard; causes rusty color, staining, and metallic taste.
- **Lead** — A toxic metal that leaches into water from old service lines, solder, and plumbing fixtures. There is no safe level of lead; it harms brain development in children and raises blood pressure in adults. The EPA sets an action level, not a health goal above zero.
- **Lithium** — A naturally occurring element found in some groundwater. No enforceable federal limit; on the EPA contaminant candidate list for further study.
- **Manganese** — A naturally occurring metal from soil and rock. No enforceable federal limit; high levels stain fixtures and laundry and can affect taste, with a health advisory for infants.
- **Sodium** — A naturally occurring salt component. Not federally regulated for health; relevant for people on sodium-restricted diets.
- **Escherichia coli (E. coli)** — Escherichia coli — bacteria found in the gut of humans and animals. Its presence in drinking water indicates fecal contamination and a real risk of waterborne illness.
- **Total Coliform** — A group of bacteria used as an indicator of overall water-system sanitation. Coliforms themselves are usually harmless, but their presence signals that disease-causing organisms could enter the system.
- **Hexafluoropropylene oxide dimer acid** — HFPO-DA ('GenX chemicals'), a newer-generation PFAS replacement compound. Regulated by the EPA at 10 parts per trillion and included in the PFAS Hazard Index.
- **Perfluorobutanesulfonic acid** — Perfluorobutanesulfonic acid, a shorter-chain PFAS 'forever chemical.' Has no standalone limit but is part of the EPA PFAS Hazard Index that limits PFAS in combination.
- **Perfluoroheptanoic acid** — Perfluoroheptanoic acid, a PFAS 'forever chemical.' Monitored under EPA rules; persistent in the environment.
- **Perfluorohexanesulfonic acid** — Perfluorohexanesulfonic acid, a PFAS 'forever chemical.' Regulated by the EPA at 10 parts per trillion and included in the PFAS Hazard Index.
- **Perfluorohexanoic acid** — Perfluorohexanoic acid, a shorter-chain PFAS 'forever chemical.' Monitored under EPA rules; persistent and widely detected.
- **Perfluorononanoic acid** — Perfluorononanoic acid, a PFAS 'forever chemical.' Regulated by the EPA at 10 parts per trillion and included in the PFAS Hazard Index.
- **Perfluoropentanoic acid** — Perfluoropentanoic acid, a shorter-chain PFAS 'forever chemical.' Monitored under EPA rules; persistent in the environment.
- **PFBA** — Perfluorobutanoic acid, a shorter-chain PFAS 'forever chemical.' Monitored under EPA rules; persistent in the environment and the human body.
- **PFOA** — Perfluorooctanoic acid, a PFAS 'forever chemical' once used in nonstick and stain-resistant products. Linked to cancer, liver damage, and immune effects; the EPA set an enforceable limit of 4 parts per trillion.
- **PFOS** — Perfluorooctanesulfonic acid, a PFAS 'forever chemical' once used in firefighting foam and coatings. Linked to cancer, thyroid disease, and immune effects; the EPA set an enforceable limit of 4 parts per trillion.
- **Hardness** — A measure of dissolved calcium and magnesium minerals. Not federally regulated for health; affects scaling, soap use, and taste.
- **TOC** — Total organic carbon — a measure of organic material dissolved in the water. Not harmful itself, but it is the raw material that forms disinfection byproducts; removal is a treatment requirement.
- **Combined Radium** — Combined radium-226 and radium-228 — naturally occurring radioactive elements. Long-term exposure above the federal limit increases the risk of bone cancer.
- **Gross Alpha** — Gross alpha particle activity — a combined measure of alpha-emitting radioactive substances. Long-term exposure above the federal limit increases cancer risk.
- **Radon** — A naturally occurring radioactive gas that can dissolve into groundwater. No enforceable federal limit in drinking water yet; inhalation of released radon raises lung-cancer risk.

## How to read this

- A water-quality report covers an entire service area, not a single address.
- 'Federal limit' is the EPA standard (MCL, action level, treatment technique, etc.) that the measured level is compared against.
- 'At or above the federal limit' means the utility's own reported figure met or exceeded that standard.

_Figures are the utility's own published numbers. Generated 2026-05-25 from thewatermap.com._