PFOS in New Jersey well water
In New Jersey, 6% of 20,186 private wells tested between 2002 and 2024 had PFOS above the New Jersey limit (13 ng/L), according to NJDEP.
PFOS is a forever chemical with the same sources as PFOA. It is linked to immune suppression, thyroid disease, liver effects and cancer. Wells near airports, fire training areas, landfills and plating plants are most at risk.
Check your PFOS number
Type the value from your lab report. It is compared to the New Jersey limit and the EPA limit, the same way the full interpretation does it.
Test your New Jersey well for PFOS
Certified lab analysis of your own tap water, bottles and prepaid return shipping included. The Essential well panel covers arsenic, uranium, nitrate, lead, copper, manganese, iron, sodium and bacteria; radon and PFAS are add-ons.
Order the Tap Score well water test kit, from $209Already tested? Upload the report
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Systems that remove PFOS
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Some links below are affiliate links. If you buy through one, the merchant pays us a commission at no extra cost to you. It does not change which products we list or what the data says.
For PFOS
Under-sink reverse osmosis system
under-sink or countertop, about $300
Look for NSF/ANSI 58 certification listing the contaminant you need removed.
For PFOS
Whole-house PFAS carbon system
whole-house, at the point of entry, about $3,000
Granular activated carbon certified to NSF/ANSI 53 for PFOA and PFOS; replace media on schedule.
For PFOS
Aquasana SmartFlow reverse osmosis
under-sink or countertop, about $225
Certified to NSF/ANSI 58 and 53 to reduce arsenic (96%, pentavalent), fluoride (90%), lead (99%), nitrate, nitrite and PFOA/PFOS at the kitchen tap, with a remineralizer.
Rather have it installed and sized for your well? Book a free in-home water test with a licensed local company.
Where to get a well tested for PFOS in New Jersey: certified labs, state programs and prices.
By county, from homeowner tests
Share of private wells above the state guidance level (13 ng/L) in tests homeowners sent to the state lab, 2002 to 2024.
Towns with the highest share above the state level
- Hopatcong borough, Sussex County58% of 391 wells
- North Haledon borough, Passaic County20% of 76 wells
- Rockaway township, Morris County19% of 130 wells
- Byram township, Sussex County17% of 97 wells
- Ringwood borough, Passaic County16% of 94 wells
- Wayne township, Passaic County16% of 32 wells
- West Amwell township, Hunterdon County15% of 52 wells
- West Milford township, Passaic County15% of 678 wells
- Ewing township, Mercer County14% of 36 wells
- Hopewell township, Mercer County14% of 203 wells
- Mount Olive township, Morris County13% of 233 wells
- Vernon township, Sussex County13% of 484 wells
- Pemberton township, Burlington County12% of 399 wells
- Bloomingdale borough, Passaic County12% of 33 wells
- Hardyston township, Sussex County12% of 103 wells
- Franklin township, Somerset County12% of 147 wells
- Jefferson township, Morris County11% of 272 wells
- Upper township, Cape May County11% of 204 wells
- East Amwell township, Hunterdon County11% of 84 wells
- Piscataway township, Middlesex County11% of 47 wells
- Montville township, Morris County10% of 96 wells
- Hillsborough township, Somerset County10% of 158 wells
- Franklin township, Warren County10% of 70 wells
- Lakewood township, Ocean County10% of 41 wells
- Evesham township, Burlington County9% of 91 wells
By county, from individual samples
Public monitoring samples against the EPA limit (4 ng/L); counties with at least 30 samples.
| County | Above EPA limit | Samples | Detected | Median | Highest |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Burlington | 43 | 37% | 0 | 32 ng/L |
Sources
- NJDEP Private Well Testing Act summaries: Share of private wells exceeding each standard in tests required at sale or lease under the New Jersey Private Well Testing Act, September 2002 to December 2024, published by NJDEP. Tests are untreated water at the time of sale or lease, so every well is counted once per transaction. Municipalities with fewer than ten wells are suppressed. Standards are New Jersey's: arsenic 5 ug/L, PFOA 14 ng/L, PFOS 13 ng/L, PFNA 13 ng/L, manganese and iron secondary standards. Uranium and PFAS were added to the required panel in 2021 and 2020, so their well counts are smaller. Retrieved September 9, 2026.
- Individual samples from the USGS Water Quality Portal and state monitoring, summarized per geography. PFOS counts and shares are listed on each county and town page with their sources.
Analysis: PFAS in private wells: known sources versus routine testing, from the same public records.