States › New Jersey

New Jersey Tap Water Quality 2026

EPA drinking water data for 572 cities across New Jersey — covering lead levels, violation history, and compliance status.

Systems tracked: 314 Cities covered: 572 Updated: 2026 Q2
B

New Jersey earns a B for overall water quality

572 communities across 21 counties and 314 water systems. 98.6% have no open violations.

Median lead where detected: 2.00 ppb
22.0% of systems report lead as not detected — a state filing convention, not a water quality measure
PFAS tested at 80.9% of communities; 281 above the federal limit
Lead reported for 100.0% of communities
98.6% of communities have no open violations
Water Systems
314
Active community systems
Median Lead Level
2 ppb
13% of EPA action level
Fully Compliant
98.6%
of systems — no active violations
How we grade states Grades are based on actual EPA enforcement data — MCL violations and lead levels measured against the 15 ppb federal action level. We do not use MCLG-based detections, which are aspirational zero-tolerance goals that would make nearly every state look dangerous. Read our full methodology →

Best & Worst Cities in New Jersey

✓ Cleanest Water
Elsinboro
Salem County
2.0 ppb A
Hazlet
Monmouth County
0.0 ppb A
Medford Lakes
Burlington County
0.0 ppb A
Elizabeth
Union County
2.0 ppb A
Brick
Ocean County
0.9 ppb A
Bayonne
Hudson County
4.5 ppb A
⚠ Needs Attention
Sparta
Sussex County
1.0 ppb F
Lake Mohawk
Sussex County
1.0 ppb F
Byram
Sussex County
1.0 ppb F
Ringwood
Passaic County
1.7 ppb F
Jefferson
Morris County
0.0 ppb D
Westville
Gloucester County
0.0 ppb D

Water Quality by County

21 of 21
Sort:
CountySystemsLead LevelViolationsGrade
Bergen County 70 11.0 ppb 0 C
Monmouth County 52 2.0 ppb 0 B
Morris County 43 3.0 ppb 0 C
Burlington County 42 1.3 ppb 0 A
Camden County 37 1.0 ppb 0 A
Ocean County 34 1.3 ppb 0 A
Middlesex County 27 1.8 ppb 0 B
Gloucester County 26 2.6 ppb 0 B
Somerset County 26 2.0 ppb 0 B
Hunterdon County 25 2.5 ppb 0 B

About New Jersey Drinking Water

New Jersey is served by 314 community water systems covering 572 communities across 21 counties. 98.6% have no open violation on record.

Lead was detected in 446 communities, with a median of 2.00 ppb — 13% of the federal action level. A further 126 reported none detected. That share is a state reporting convention rather than a measure of water quality, so it is stated separately rather than averaged in.

PFAS has been tested at 80.9% of communities here, and 281 are above the limits EPA set in 2024. Coverage matters: states that test more find more, so this figure is not comparable with a state that has tested less.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is New Jersey tap water safe to drink? ▼
98.6% of communities have no open violation on record. 281 have PFAS above the federal limit set in 2024, which is the main open concern.
Does New Jersey have a lead problem? ▼
7 water systems report a 90th-percentile lead result at or above the 15 ppb action level. The action level is a treatment trigger, not a legal maximum, and 126 communities report no detection at all.
How complete is the data for New Jersey? ▼
Lead results are reported for 100.0% of communities and PFAS for 80.9%. Where a figure is missing it is shown as not reported rather than assumed safe.
How does New Jersey compare with other states? ▼
We do not rank states against each other. Lead reporting completeness ranges from under 20% to 100% depending on the state, so a national ranking would compare filing practice rather than water quality.