Well water in Camden County, New Jersey

In Camden County, 7% of 3,740 private wells tested between 2002 and 2024 had total coliform above the New Jersey limit (any detection), according to NJDEP.

3,759 private wells tested 2002 to 2024 in state summaries; 322 individual samples from 157 wells, 1906 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	State level
Gross alpha	3,566	36%	15 pCi/L
Iron	3,759	23%	300 ug/L
Manganese	3,759	14%	50 ug/L
Total coliform	3,740	7%
PFOA	601	4%	14 ng/L
PFOS	601	4%	13 ng/L
Nitrate	3,759	2%	10 mg/L
PFNA	601	<1%	13 ng/L
E. coli Fecal coliform or	3,739	<1%
Arsenic	1,348	0%	5 ug/L

What individual samples found

Each row summarizes every public sample for that contaminant inside Camden 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
Radium (226 + 228) 1988 to 2021	157	95%	11%	2	18.5	5 pCi/L EPA limit
Arsenic 1906 to 2025	322	51%	2%	0.05	112	10 ug/L EPA limit
Uranium 1988 to 2018	99	66%	0%	0.017	1.78	30 ug/L EPA limit
Fluoride 1957 to 1996	11	82%	0%	0.2	0.4	4 mg/L EPA limit
Radon 1988 to 2024	64	98%	no limit	184	3,170	2,000 pCi/L health guideline
Sodium 1951 to 2021	17	100%	no limit	11	22	20 mg/L health guideline
Manganese 1962 to 2005	15	100%	no limit	44	3,800	300 ug/L health guideline

Sampled fewer than 10 times, too few to summarize: PFOA (9), PFOS (9), Lead (7), Copper (6), Nitrate (5), Chloride (8), Iron (8).

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What this means

Among homeowners in Camden County who sent a sample to the state lab, the health-based limits most often exceeded were total coliform (7% of 3,740 wells), PFOA (4% of 601 wells), and PFOS (4% of 601 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 Camden County

Volatile organic compounds (VOCs)8 hazardous waste sites on record locally.
Metals panel8 hazardous waste sites on record locally.
Gross alpha36% of 3,566 local wells tested were above the New Jersey limit.
Iron23% of 3,759 local wells tested were above the New Jersey nuisance level.
Manganese14% of 3,759 local wells tested were above the New Jersey nuisance level.
Radium (226 + 228)11% of 157 local samples were above the limit.
Total coliform7% of 3,740 local wells tested were above the New Jersey limit (any detection).
PFOA4% of 601 local wells tested were above the New Jersey limit.
PFOS4% of 601 local wells tested were above the New Jersey limit.
Arsenic2% of 322 local samples were above the limit.

Contamination sources on record in Camden County

NJDEP records 8 hazardous waste sites in Camden County, among 2,789 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.

8: hazardous waste sitesSolvents, degreasers and metals from industrial sites can travel far in fractured bedrock.
2,085: registered underground storage tank sitesRegistered tanks are regulated and inspected; they matter most when they are old or near a shallow well.
26: lined landfills and transfer facilities
670: 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
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
Radium (226 + 228): Water softener (cation exchange); Point-of-use reverse osmosis
Arsenic: Point-of-use reverse osmosis; Adsorptive media (iron-based) whole-house; Anion exchange

Get your Camden 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 Camden County.

Common questions

Is there arsenic in well water in Camden County?

Arsenic was detected in 51% of 322 public well samples in Camden 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 Camden County?

The median radon level across 64 public samples in Camden County was 184 pCi/L, with a high of 3,170 pCi/L. New Hampshire recommends treatment above 2,000 pCi/L.

How often should I test a private well in Camden 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 Camden County

Berlin township11% total coliform
Camden0% arsenic
Cherry Hill township23% total coliform
Chesilhurst borough10% total coliform
Gloucester township9% total coliform
Lindenwold borough9% total coliform
Pennsauken township1% arsenic
Pine Hill borough5% nitrate
Voorhees township5% total coliform
Waterford township6% total coliform
Winslow township7% total coliform

25 towns have fewer than 30 public samples and are included in the Camden County totals above rather than shown separately: Audubon borough, Audubon Park borough, Barrington borough, Bellmawr borough, Berlin borough, Brooklawn borough, Clementon borough, Collingswood borough, Gibbsboro borough, Gloucester City, Haddonfield borough, Haddon Heights borough, Haddon township, Hi-Nella borough, Laurel Springs borough, Lawnside borough, Magnolia borough, Merchantville borough, Mount Ephraim borough, Oaklyn borough, Runnemede borough, Somerdale borough, Stratford borough, Tavistock borough, Woodlynne borough.

Sources

USGS Water Quality Portal: 737 samples in Camden 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 Camden County, up to 3,759 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: 2,789 regulated sites located in Camden 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.