Well Water Nerd

Well water in Upper Deerfield township, New Jersey

In Upper Deerfield township, 25% of 1,081 private wells tested between 2002 and 2024 had nitrate above the New Jersey limit (10 mg/L), according to NJDEP.

1,081 private wells tested 2002 to 2024 in state summaries; 81 individual samples from 32 wells, 1987 to 2023. 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.

ContaminantWells testedAbove state levelMedian95th pctHighestState level
Gross alpha1,06863%15 pCi/L
Nitrate1,08125%10 mg/L
Iron1,08118%300 ug/L
Manganese1,08117%50 ug/L
Total coliform1,0787%
PFOS2074%13 ng/L
PFOA2072%14 ng/L
E. coli
Fecal coliform or
1,077<1%
Arsenic455<1%5 ug/L
PFNA2070%13 ng/L

What individual samples found

Each row summarizes every public sample for that contaminant inside Upper Deerfield township. 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.

ContaminantSamplesDetectedAbove limitMedianHighestLimit
Radium (226 + 228)
1988 to 2018
8196%19%3145 pCi/L
EPA limit
Arsenic
1987 to 2023
5240%0%0510 ug/L
EPA limit
Uranium
1988 to 2018
4551%0%0.011.4630 ug/L
EPA limit
Radon
1988 to 2006
3997%no limit3409802,000 pCi/L
health guideline

Sampled fewer than 10 times, too few to summarize: PFOA (4), PFOS (4), Nitrate (3), Lead (1), Manganese (1), Chloride (1).

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What this means

Among homeowners in Upper Deerfield township who sent a sample to the state lab, the health-based limits most often exceeded were nitrate (25% of 1,081 wells), total coliform (7% of 1,078 wells), and PFOS (4% of 207 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 Upper Deerfield township

  • Gross alpha63% of 1,068 local wells tested were above the New Jersey limit.
  • Nitrate25% of 1,081 local wells tested were above the New Jersey limit.
  • Radium (226 + 228)19% of 81 local samples were above the limit.
  • Iron18% of 1,081 local wells tested were above the New Jersey nuisance level.
  • Manganese17% of 1,081 local wells tested were above the New Jersey nuisance level.
  • Total coliform7% of 1,078 local wells tested were above the New Jersey limit (any detection).
  • PFOS4% of 207 local wells tested were above the New Jersey limit.
  • PFOA2% of 207 local wells tested were above the New Jersey limit.

Contamination sources on record in Upper Deerfield township

NJDEP records 54 regulated sites in Upper Deerfield township, among 54 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.

45
registered underground storage tank sitesRegistered tanks are regulated and inspected; they matter most when they are old or near a shallow well.
9
other remediation projects

Treatment that fits the local profile

Nitrate
Point-of-use reverse osmosis; Anion exchange; Distillation
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

Get your Upper Deerfield township water tested at home

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Common questions

Is there arsenic in well water in Upper Deerfield township?

Arsenic was detected in 40% of 52 public well samples in Upper Deerfield township, and 0% 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 Upper Deerfield township?

The median radon level across 39 public samples in Upper Deerfield township was 340 pCi/L, with a high of 980 pCi/L. New Hampshire recommends treatment above 2,000 pCi/L.

How often should I test a private well in Upper Deerfield township?

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.

Sources

  • USGS Water Quality Portal: 231 samples in Upper Deerfield township. 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 Upper Deerfield township, up to 1,081 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: 54 regulated sites located in Upper Deerfield township. 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.