Well water in Salem County, New Jersey
In Salem County, 11% of 5,046 private wells tested between 2002 and 2024 had total coliform above the New Jersey limit (any detection), according to NJDEP.
5,094 private wells tested 2002 to 2024 in state summaries; 180 individual samples from 87 wells, 1952 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 | 5,093 | 45% | 300 ug/L | ||||
| Manganese | 5,094 | 21% | 50 ug/L | ||||
| Gross alpha | 4,950 | 17% | 15 pCi/L | ||||
| Total coliform | 5,046 | 11% | |||||
| Nitrate | 5,094 | 9% | 10 mg/L | ||||
| PFOA | 951 | 6% | 14 ng/L | ||||
| PFOS | 951 | 3% | 13 ng/L | ||||
| E. coli Fecal coliform or | 5,044 | <1% | |||||
| PFNA | 951 | <1% | 13 ng/L | ||||
| Arsenic | 2,056 | <1% | 5 ug/L |
What individual samples found
Each row summarizes every public sample for that contaminant inside Salem 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 2023 | 24 | 79% | 67% | 10.5 | 110 | 4 ng/L EPA limit | |
| PFOS 2020 to 2023 | 24 | 38% | 17% | 0 | 17 | 4 ng/L EPA limit | |
| Radium (226 + 228) 1988 to 2021 | 81 | 80% | 9% | 0.97 | 13 | 5 pCi/L EPA limit | |
| Arsenic 1975 to 2025 | 180 | 48% | 0% | 0 | 7 | 10 ug/L EPA limit | |
| Uranium 1988 to 2022 | 39 | 64% | 0% | 0.04 | 0.36 | 30 ug/L EPA limit | |
| Radon 1988 to 2024 | 57 | 98% | no limit | 450 | 1,840 | 2,000 pCi/L health guideline |
Sampled fewer than 10 times, too few to summarize: Nitrate (8), Fluoride (6), Copper (4), Lead (3), Iron (6), Manganese (4), Sodium (2), Chloride (2).
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What this means
Among homeowners in Salem County who sent a sample to the state lab, the health-based limits most often exceeded were total coliform (11% of 5,046 wells), nitrate (9% of 5,094 wells), and PFOA (6% of 951 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 Salem County
- Volatile organic compounds (VOCs)1 hazardous waste site on record locally.
- Metals panel1 hazardous waste site on record locally.
- Iron45% of 5,093 local wells tested were above the New Jersey nuisance level.
- Manganese21% of 5,094 local wells tested were above the New Jersey nuisance level.
- Gross alpha17% of 4,950 local wells tested were above the New Jersey limit.
- Total coliform11% of 5,046 local wells tested were above the New Jersey limit (any detection).
- Nitrate9% of 5,094 local wells tested were above the New Jersey limit.
- Radium (226 + 228)9% of 81 local samples were above the limit.
- E. coli<1% of 5,044 local wells tested were above the New Jersey limit (any detection).
- PFNA<1% of 951 local wells tested were above the New Jersey limit.
Contamination sources on record in Salem County
NJDEP records 1 hazardous waste site in Salem County, among 517 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.
- 1
- hazardous waste siteSolvents, degreasers and metals from industrial sites can travel far in fractured bedrock.
- 389
- registered underground storage tank sitesRegistered tanks are regulated and inspected; they matter most when they are old or near a shallow well.
- 15
- lined landfills and transfer facilities
- 112
- 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
- Nitrate
- Point-of-use reverse osmosis; Anion exchange; Distillation
- 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
- PFOS
- Granular activated carbon whole-house; Point-of-use reverse osmosis; Anion exchange
Get your Salem 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 Salem County.
Common questions
Is there arsenic in well water in Salem County?
Arsenic was detected in 48% of 180 public well samples in Salem County, 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 Salem County?
The median radon level across 57 public samples in Salem County was 450 pCi/L, with a high of 1,840 pCi/L. New Hampshire recommends treatment above 2,000 pCi/L.
How often should I test a private well in Salem 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 Salem County
- Alloway township10% total coliform
- Carneys Point township23% pfoa
- Elsinboro township19% total coliform
- Lower Alloways Creek township12% total coliform
- Mannington township18% total coliform
- Oldmans township18% pfoa
- Pennsville township31% total coliform
- Pilesgrove township12% total coliform
- Pittsgrove township15% nitrate
- Quinton township12% total coliform
- Upper Pittsgrove township19% nitrate
4 towns have fewer than 30 public samples and are included in the Salem County totals above rather than shown separately: Elmer borough, Penns Grove borough, Salem, Woodstown borough.
Sources
- USGS Water Quality Portal: 440 samples in Salem 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 Salem County, up to 5,094 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: 517 regulated sites located in Salem 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.