Well water in Burlington County, New Jersey
In Burlington County, 9% of 12,087 private wells tested between 2002 and 2024 had total coliform above the New Jersey limit (any detection), according to NJDEP.
12,189 private wells tested 2002 to 2024 in state summaries; 314 individual samples from 164 wells, 1957 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 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Iron | 12,189 | 42% | 300 ug/L | ||||
| Manganese | 12,189 | 21% | 50 ug/L | ||||
| Gross alpha | 11,690 | 10% | 15 pCi/L | ||||
| Total coliform | 12,087 | 9% | |||||
| PFOA | 2,050 | 6% | 14 ng/L | ||||
| PFOS | 2,050 | 4% | 13 ng/L | ||||
| Nitrate | 12,189 | 1% | 10 mg/L | ||||
| E. coli Fecal coliform or | 12,079 | <1% | |||||
| Arsenic | 4,684 | <1% | 5 ug/L | ||||
| PFNA | 2,050 | <1% | 13 ng/L |
What individual samples found
Each row summarizes every public sample for that contaminant inside Burlington 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 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PFOA 2020 to 2024 | 43 | 42% | 35% | 0 | 93 | 4 ng/L EPA limit | |
| PFOS 2020 to 2024 | 43 | 37% | 23% | 0 | 32 | 4 ng/L EPA limit | |
| Radium (226 + 228) 1990 to 2022 | 77 | 88% | 8% | 1.05 | 16.3 | 5 pCi/L EPA limit | |
| Arsenic 1975 to 2025 | 314 | 51% | 2% | 0.03 | 64.3 | 10 ug/L EPA limit | |
| Uranium 1990 to 2022 | 36 | 53% | 0% | 0.005 | 1.77 | 30 ug/L EPA limit | |
| Lead 1978 to 2021 | 16 | 44% | 0% | 0 | 6 | 15 ug/L EPA limit | |
| Copper 1980 to 2021 | 11 | 55% | 0% | 0 | 0.003 | 1.3 mg/L EPA limit | |
| Nitrate 1978 to 2015 | 10 | 60% | 0% | 0.03 | 4.8 | 10 mg/L EPA limit | |
| Radon 1990 to 2012 | 24 | 96% | no limit | 155 | 1,240 | 2,000 pCi/L health guideline | |
| Iron 1961 to 2022 | 18 | 89% | no limit | 325 | 10,000 | 300 ug/L nuisance level | |
| Manganese 1961 to 2018 | 15 | 100% | no limit | 75 | 331 | 300 ug/L health guideline | |
| Sodium 1960 to 2003 | 11 | 100% | no limit | 3.6 | 61 | 20 mg/L health guideline |
Sampled fewer than 10 times, too few to summarize: Fluoride (8), Chloride (6).
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What this means
Among homeowners in Burlington County who sent a sample to the state lab, the health-based limits most often exceeded were total coliform (9% of 12,087 wells), PFOA (6% of 2,050 wells), and PFOS (4% of 2,050 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.
Iron and manganese exceed the state's advisory level in a sizable share of wells; these are mostly a taste, staining or diet issue rather than a toxicity one.
What to test for in Burlington County
- Volatile organic compounds (VOCs)11 hazardous waste sites on record locally.
- Metals panel11 hazardous waste sites on record locally.
- Iron42% of 12,189 local wells tested were above the New Jersey nuisance level.
- Manganese21% of 12,189 local wells tested were above the New Jersey nuisance level.
- Gross alpha10% of 11,690 local wells tested were above the New Jersey limit.
- Total coliform9% of 12,087 local wells tested were above the New Jersey limit (any detection).
- Radium (226 + 228)8% of 77 local samples were above the limit.
- Nitrate1% of 12,189 local wells tested were above the New Jersey limit.
- E. coli<1% of 12,079 local wells tested were above the New Jersey limit (any detection).
- PFNA<1% of 2,050 local wells tested were above the New Jersey limit.
Contamination sources on record in Burlington County
NJDEP records 11 hazardous waste sites in Burlington County, among 2,297 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.
- 11
- hazardous waste sitesSolvents, degreasers and metals from industrial sites can travel far in fractured bedrock.
- 1,783
- registered underground storage tank sitesRegistered tanks are regulated and inspected; they matter most when they are old or near a shallow well.
- 28
- lined landfills and transfer facilities
- 475
- other remediation projects
Treatment that fits the local profile
- Total coliform
- Inspect and repair the well cap and casing, then shock chlorinate and retest; UV disinfection whole-house; Chlorination system
- PFOA
- Granular activated carbon whole-house; Point-of-use reverse osmosis; Anion exchange
- Gross alpha
- Point-of-use reverse osmosis; Water softener (cation exchange) for radium; Anion exchange for uranium
- Iron
- Oxidizing filter whole-house; Water softener (low levels); Aeration plus filtration
- Manganese
- Oxidizing filter (greensand, birm) whole-house; Water softener (low levels); Point-of-use reverse osmosis
- PFOS
- Granular activated carbon whole-house; Point-of-use reverse osmosis; Anion exchange
Get your Burlington 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 Burlington County.
Common questions
Is there arsenic in well water in Burlington County?
Arsenic was detected in 51% of 314 public well samples in Burlington County, and 2% 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 Burlington County?
The median radon level across 24 public samples in Burlington County was 155 pCi/L, with a high of 1,240 pCi/L. New Hampshire recommends treatment above 2,000 pCi/L.
How often should I test a private well in Burlington 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 Burlington County
- Bass River township9% total coliform
- Burlington township26% total coliform
- Chesterfield township13% total coliform
- Eastampton township19% total coliform
- Evesham township10% pfoa
- Florence township17% total coliform
- Hainesport township16% total coliform
- Lumberton township13% total coliform
- Mansfield township17% total coliform
- Medford Lakes borough5% total coliform
- Medford township7% total coliform
- Moorestown township11% total coliform
- Mount Laurel township13% total coliform
- New Hanover township13% total coliform
- North Hanover township12% total coliform
- Pemberton township16% pfoa
- Shamong township7% total coliform
- Southampton township11% total coliform
- Springfield township15% total coliform
- Tabernacle township9% pfoa
- Washington township17% total coliform
- Westampton township17% total coliform
- Woodland township3% pfoa
17 towns have fewer than 30 public samples and are included in the Burlington County totals above rather than shown separately: Beverly, Bordentown, Bordentown township, Burlington, Cinnaminson township, Delanco township, Delran township, Edgewater Park township, Fieldsboro borough, Maple Shade township, Mount Holly township, Palmyra borough, Pemberton borough, Riverside township, Riverton borough, Willingboro township, Wrightstown borough.
Sources
- USGS Water Quality Portal: 632 samples in Burlington 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 10 contaminants in Burlington County, up to 12,189 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: 2,297 regulated sites located in Burlington 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.