Well water in Ocean County, New Jersey
In Ocean County, 6% of 9,078 private wells tested between 2002 and 2024 had total coliform above the New Jersey limit (any detection), according to NJDEP.
9,102 private wells tested 2002 to 2024 in state summaries; 271 individual samples from 154 wells, 1945 to 2024. 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 | 9,095 | 27% | 300 ug/L | ||||
| Manganese | 9,095 | 17% | 50 ug/L | ||||
| Total coliform | 9,078 | 6% | |||||
| Gross alpha | 8,174 | 5% | 15 pCi/L | ||||
| PFOA | 751 | 4% | 14 ng/L | ||||
| PFOS | 751 | 2% | 13 ng/L | ||||
| PFNA | 751 | 1% | 13 ng/L | ||||
| E. coli Fecal coliform or | 9,080 | <1% | |||||
| Nitrate | 9,102 | <1% | 10 mg/L | ||||
| Arsenic | 2,479 | <1% | 5 ug/L |
What individual samples found
Each row summarizes every public sample for that contaminant inside Ocean 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 | 18 | 67% | 56% | 5.45 | 42 | 4 ng/L EPA limit | |
| PFOS 2020 to 2024 | 17 | 59% | 41% | 3.2 | 21 | 4 ng/L EPA limit | |
| Arsenic 1975 to 2024 | 271 | 37% | <1% | 0 | 12 | 10 ug/L EPA limit | |
| Radium (226 + 228) 1990 to 2022 | 169 | 86% | 0% | 0.95 | 3.2 | 5 pCi/L EPA limit | |
| Uranium 1990 to 2022 | 74 | 18% | 0% | 0 | 0.1 | 30 ug/L EPA limit | |
| Copper 1977 to 2018 | 14 | 57% | 0% | 0 | 0.02 | 1.3 mg/L EPA limit | |
| Nitrate 1973 to 2021 | 10 | 80% | 0% | 0.07 | 1.62 | 10 mg/L EPA limit | |
| Radon 1990 to 2018 | 78 | 99% | no limit | 210 | 1,010 | 2,000 pCi/L health guideline | |
| Chloride 1949 to 1992 | 12 | 100% | no limit | 3.4 | 14 | 250 mg/L nuisance level | |
| Iron 1960 to 1994 | 12 | 92% | no limit | 300 | 5,700 | 300 ug/L nuisance level |
Sampled fewer than 10 times, too few to summarize: Fluoride (7), Lead (7), Sodium (7), Manganese (7).
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What this means
Among homeowners in Ocean County who sent a sample to the state lab, the health-based limits most often exceeded were total coliform (6% of 9,078 wells), PFOA (4% of 751 wells), and PFOS (2% of 751 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 Ocean County
- Volatile organic compounds (VOCs)5 hazardous waste sites on record locally.
- Metals panel5 hazardous waste sites on record locally.
- Iron27% of 9,095 local wells tested were above the New Jersey nuisance level.
- Manganese17% of 9,095 local wells tested were above the New Jersey nuisance level.
- Total coliform6% of 9,078 local wells tested were above the New Jersey limit (any detection).
- Gross alpha5% of 8,174 local wells tested were above the New Jersey limit.
- PFNA1% of 751 local wells tested were above the New Jersey limit.
- E. coli<1% of 9,080 local wells tested were above the New Jersey limit (any detection).
- Nitrate<1% of 9,102 local wells tested were above the New Jersey limit.
- RadonMedian local reading is 210 pCi/L.
Contamination sources on record in Ocean County
NJDEP records 5 hazardous waste sites in Ocean County, among 1,880 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.
- 5
- hazardous waste sitesSolvents, degreasers and metals from industrial sites can travel far in fractured bedrock.
- 1,611
- 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
- 236
- 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
- PFOA
- Granular activated carbon whole-house; Point-of-use reverse osmosis; Anion exchange
- PFOS
- Granular activated carbon whole-house; Point-of-use reverse osmosis; Anion exchange
Get your Ocean 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 Ocean County.
Common questions
Is there arsenic in well water in Ocean County?
Arsenic was detected in 37% of 271 public well samples in Ocean County, and <1% 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 Ocean County?
The median radon level across 78 public samples in Ocean County was 210 pCi/L, with a high of 1,010 pCi/L. New Hampshire recommends treatment above 2,000 pCi/L.
How often should I test a private well in Ocean 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 Ocean County
- Barnegat township<1% total coliform
- Berkeley township5% total coliform
- Eagleswood township9% pfos
- Jackson township8% total coliform
- Lacey township4% total coliform
- Lakewood township10% pfoa
- Little Egg Harbor township5% total coliform
- Manchester township6% pfoa
- Ocean township7% total coliform
- Plumsted township8% total coliform
- Stafford township4% total coliform
- Toms River township10% pfoa
21 towns have fewer than 30 public samples and are included in the Ocean County totals above rather than shown separately: Barnegat Light borough, Bay Head borough, Beach Haven borough, Beachwood borough, Brick township, Harvey Cedars borough, Island Heights borough, Lakehurst borough, Lavallette borough, Long Beach township, Mantoloking borough, Ocean Gate borough, Pine Beach borough, Point Pleasant Beach borough, Point Pleasant borough, Seaside Heights borough, Seaside Park borough, Ship Bottom borough, South Toms River borough, Surf City borough, Tuckerton borough.
Sources
- USGS Water Quality Portal: 703 samples in Ocean 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 Ocean County, up to 9,102 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: 1,880 regulated sites located in Ocean 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.