Well water in Bergen County, New Jersey
In Bergen County, 44% of 530 private wells tested between 2002 and 2024 had PFOA above the New Jersey limit (14 ng/L), according to NJDEP.
3,557 private wells tested 2002 to 2024 in state summaries; 77 individual samples from 51 wells, 1983 to 2025. Data refreshed September 9, 2026.
What homeowner tests found
NJDEP Private Well Testing Act summaries: private wells tested and reported to the state, 2002 to 2024. Shares are against the level the state applies to each contaminant, named in the last column; several are stricter than EPA.
| Contaminant | Wells tested | Above state level | Median | 95th pct | Highest | State level | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PFOA | 530 | 44% | 14 ng/L | ||||
| Total coliform | 3,555 | 11% | |||||
| Arsenic | 3,556 | 10% | 5 ug/L | ||||
| Iron | 3,557 | 8% | 300 ug/L | ||||
| PFOS | 530 | 5% | 13 ng/L | ||||
| Manganese | 3,557 | 5% | 50 ug/L | ||||
| Gross alpha | 944 | 2% | 15 pCi/L | ||||
| E. coli Fecal coliform or | 3,527 | 1% | |||||
| Nitrate | 3,557 | <1% | 10 mg/L | ||||
| PFNA | 530 | <1% | 13 ng/L | ||||
| Uranium | 864 | <1% | 30 ug/L |
What individual samples found
Each row summarizes every public sample for that contaminant inside Bergen County. Above limit means above the EPA maximum contaminant level; where EPA has no enforceable limit, the row shows a health guideline or nuisance level instead.
| Contaminant | Samples | Detected | Above limit | Median | Highest | Limit | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Uranium 1986 to 1989 | 20 | 100% | 20% | 8.95 | 180 | 30 ug/L EPA limit | |
| Arsenic 1987 to 2025 | 77 | 62% | 5% | 0.23 | 19.7 | 10 ug/L EPA limit | |
| Radium (226 + 228) 1986 to 1991 | 38 | 37% | 3% | 0 | 6 | 5 pCi/L EPA limit | |
| Radon 1986 to 1991 | 32 | 100% | no limit | 2,025 | 8,700 | 2,000 pCi/L health guideline |
Sampled fewer than 10 times, too few to summarize: PFOA (9), PFOS (9), Lead (4), Copper (2), Fluoride (2), Nitrate (1), Sodium (2), Iron (1).
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What this means
Among homeowners in Bergen County who sent a sample to the state lab, the health-based limits most often exceeded were PFOA (44% of 530 wells), total coliform (11% of 3,555 wells), and arsenic (10% of 3,556 wells). These are ordinary wells tested by their owners, so the shares are the best available picture of a typical well here, with one caveat: people test more often when they suspect a problem.
What to test for in Bergen County
- Volatile organic compounds (VOCs)12 hazardous waste sites on record locally.
- Metals panel12 hazardous waste sites on record locally.
- PFOA44% of 530 local wells tested were above the New Jersey limit.
- Total coliform11% of 3,555 local wells tested were above the New Jersey limit (any detection).
- Iron8% of 3,557 local wells tested were above the New Jersey nuisance level.
- PFOS5% of 530 local wells tested were above the New Jersey limit.
- Manganese5% of 3,557 local wells tested were above the New Jersey nuisance level.
- Radium (226 + 228)3% of 38 local samples were above the limit.
- Gross alpha2% of 944 local wells tested were above the New Jersey limit.
- E. coli1% of 3,527 local wells tested were above the New Jersey limit (any detection).
Contamination sources on record in Bergen County
NJDEP records 12 hazardous waste sites in Bergen County, among 5,772 regulated sites in total. Groundwater does not follow property lines, so a well within a few hundred feet of one of these is worth testing for what that site could release.
- 12
- hazardous waste sitesSolvents, degreasers and metals from industrial sites can travel far in fractured bedrock.
- 4,312
- registered underground storage tank sitesRegistered tanks are regulated and inspected; they matter most when they are old or near a shallow well.
- 31
- lined landfills and transfer facilities
- 1,417
- other remediation projects
Treatment that fits the local profile
- PFOA
- Granular activated carbon whole-house; Point-of-use reverse osmosis; Anion exchange
- Total coliform
- Inspect and repair the well cap and casing, then shock chlorinate and retest; UV disinfection whole-house; Chlorination system
- Arsenic
- Point-of-use reverse osmosis; Adsorptive media (iron-based) whole-house; Anion exchange
- PFOS
- Granular activated carbon whole-house; Point-of-use reverse osmosis; Anion exchange
- Iron
- Oxidizing filter whole-house; Water softener (low levels); Aeration plus filtration
- Uranium
- Point-of-use reverse osmosis; Anion exchange; Whole-house anion exchange
Get your Bergen County water tested at home
A licensed local water treatment company tests your tap water in your home, walks you through the numbers, and quotes treatment only if something needs fixing. Free, about 30 minutes, no obligation. Tell us what you need and we match you with a company that serves Bergen County.
Common questions
Is there arsenic in well water in Bergen County?
Arsenic was detected in 62% of 77 public well samples in Bergen County, and 5% were above the EPA limit of 10 ug/L. Arsenic has no taste or smell; a lab test is the only way to know your level.
How high is radon in well water in Bergen County?
The median radon level across 32 public samples in Bergen County was 2,025 pCi/L, with a high of 8,700 pCi/L. New Hampshire recommends treatment above 2,000 pCi/L.
How often should I test a private well in Bergen County?
Test for bacteria and nitrate every year. Test once for arsenic, uranium, radon, fluoride, manganese and PFAS, then again every three to five years or after any change in taste, color, or plumbing.
Towns in Bergen County
- Franklin Lakes borough46% pfoa
- Mahwah township22% pfoa
- Montvale borough15% total coliform
- Oakland borough16% total coliform
- Paramus borough13% arsenic
- Saddle River borough56% pfoa
- Upper Saddle River borough37% pfoa
- Washington township9% total coliform
- Wyckoff township18% total coliform
61 towns have fewer than 30 public samples and are included in the Bergen County totals above rather than shown separately: Allendale borough, Alpine borough, Bergenfield borough, Bogota borough, Carlstadt borough, Cliffside Park borough, Closter borough, Cresskill borough, Demarest borough, Dumont borough, East Rutherford borough, Edgewater borough, Elmwood Park borough, Emerson borough, Englewood, Englewood Cliffs borough, Fair Lawn borough, Fairview borough, Fort Lee borough, Garfield, Glen Rock borough, Hackensack, Harrington Park borough, Hasbrouck Heights borough, Haworth borough, Hillsdale borough, Ho-Ho-Kus borough, Leonia borough, Little Ferry borough, Lodi borough, Lyndhurst township, Maywood borough, Midland Park borough, Moonachie borough, New Milford borough, North Arlington borough, Northvale borough, Norwood borough, Old Tappan borough, Oradell borough, Palisades Park borough, Park Ridge borough, Ramsey borough, Ridgefield borough, Ridgefield Park village, Ridgewood village, River Edge borough, River Vale township, Rochelle Park township, Rockleigh borough, Rutherford borough, Saddle Brook township, South Hackensack township, Teaneck township, Tenafly borough, Teterboro borough, Waldwick borough, Wallington borough, Westwood borough, Woodcliff Lake borough, Wood-Ridge borough.
Sources
- USGS Water Quality Portal: 197 samples in Bergen County. Data from the Water Quality Portal, a service of USGS, EPA and USDA; groundwater samples collected by USGS and cooperators. Retrieved September 3, 2026.
- NJDEP Private Well Testing Act summaries: summaries for 11 contaminants in Bergen County, up to 3,557 wells each. 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.
- NJDEP regulated sites: 5,772 regulated sites located in Bergen County. Known Contaminated Sites, regulated underground storage tank facilities and solid waste landfills from the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (NJ-GeoWeb). Retrieved September 9, 2026.
Non-detects count as samples and are treated as zero when computing medians. Exactly at the limit counts as not above it. A sample belongs to the town containing the well's reported coordinates.