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Fort Lee, NJ Tap Water Quality 2026

Water quality report for Fort Lee, NJ — PFAS, lead and copper results, violation history and state inspection findings from EPA SDWIS.

A look at Fort Lee's drinking water using EPA enforcement records: violations, lead and copper results, PFAS sampling and state inspection findings.

Main Utility: Veolia Water New Jersey Hackensack PWSID: NJ0238001 Updated: 2026 Q2
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PFAS above the federal limit at 3 of 3 sampling points

Lead is 11.00 ppb, 73% of the action level and no violations are open. However, PFAS exceeds the federal limit at 3 of 3 sampling points, running as high as 3.25 times the limit.

D

Fort Lee earns a D for water quality

Graded on violations, lead, and PFAS, with state inspection findings.

Lead: 11.00 ppb — 73% of the federal action level
PFAS above the federal limit at 3 of 3 sampling points
26 violations since 2015, 1 health-based
No violations currently open
Fort Lee's lead level vs. all New Jersey community water systems
0 ppb5 ppb10 ppb15 ppb
Lead level: 11.00 ppb — 73% of the federal action level
✓ Lower lead than 13% of New Jersey utilities
Population Served
40126
~193600 connections
Water Source
Surface water
Drawn from surface water — SDWIS source code SW
Active Violations
0
26 since 2015, all resolved

Lead & Copper Testing

Lead (Pb)
90th percentile of tap samples collected across the distribution system
73% of EPA action level
11.00 ppb
Action level: 15 ppb
The 90th-percentile lead result is 11.00 ppb, 73% of the 15 ppb federal action level. The action level is a treatment trigger, not a legal maximum, and it is measured across sampled taps rather than at any single home.

Contaminant Violations (2015–Present)

ContaminantTypeMeasuredLimitPeriodStatus
Lead and Copper Rule TREATMENT TECHNIQUE — TT 2021 Resolved
Surface Water Treatment Rule MONITORING AND REPORTING — — 2017 Resolved
Lead and Copper Rule MONITORING AND REPORTING — TT 2016 Resolved
Surface Water Treatment Rule MONITORING AND REPORTING — — 2015 Resolved
Cryptosporidium MONITORING AND REPORTING — — 2015 Resolved
1,2,4-Trichlorobenzene MONITORING AND REPORTING — 0.07 mg/L 2015 Resolved
cis-1,2-Dichloroethylene MONITORING AND REPORTING — 0.07 mg/L 2015 Resolved
Xylenes, Total MONITORING AND REPORTING — 10 mg/L 2015 Resolved
DICHLOROMETHANE MONITORING AND REPORTING — 0.005 mg/L 2015 Resolved
o-Dichlorobenzene MONITORING AND REPORTING — 0.6 mg/L 2015 Resolved
p-Dichlorobenzene MONITORING AND REPORTING — 0.075 mg/L 2015 Resolved
Vinyl chloride MONITORING AND REPORTING — 0.002 mg/L 2015 Resolved
1,1-Dichloroethylene MONITORING AND REPORTING — 0.007 mg/L 2015 Resolved
trans-1,2-Dichloroethylene MONITORING AND REPORTING — 0.1 mg/L 2015 Resolved
1,2-Dichloroethane MONITORING AND REPORTING — 0.005 mg/L 2015 Resolved
1,1,1-Trichloroethane MONITORING AND REPORTING — 0.2 mg/L 2015 Resolved
Carbon tetrachloride MONITORING AND REPORTING — 0.005 mg/L 2015 Resolved
1,2-Dichloropropane MONITORING AND REPORTING — 0.005 mg/L 2015 Resolved
Trichloroethylene MONITORING AND REPORTING — 0.005 mg/L 2015 Resolved
1,1,2-Trichloroethane MONITORING AND REPORTING — 0.005 mg/L 2015 Resolved
Tetrachloroethylene MONITORING AND REPORTING — 0.005 mg/L 2015 Resolved
CHLOROBENZENE MONITORING AND REPORTING — 0.1 mg/L 2015 Resolved
Benzene MONITORING AND REPORTING — 0.005 mg/L 2015 Resolved
Toluene MONITORING AND REPORTING — 1 mg/L 2015 Resolved
Ethylbenzene MONITORING AND REPORTING — 0.7 mg/L 2015 Resolved
Styrene MONITORING AND REPORTING — 0.1 mg/L 2015 Resolved
Understanding violation types MCL violations mean a contaminant exceeded the federal maximum limit — the most serious type.
TT (Treatment Technique) violations mean required treatment procedures weren't followed, but don't necessarily mean contamination occurred.

Violation History

26 violations are on record since 2015, of which 1 were health-based. All have been resolved and none remain open.

About the Main Water System

Utility Veolia Water New Jersey Hackensack
PWSID NJ0238001
Water source Surface water — Drawn from surface water — SDWIS source code SW
Population served 40,126
Service connections 193,600
Systems serving this area 1
Regulator State primacy agency
Data through 2026 Q2 — EPA SDWIS

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Fort Lee tap water safe to drink? ▼
It meets most federal standards, but PFAS exceeds the federal limit at 3 of 3 sampling points. No violations are currently open. Lead is 11.00 ppb, 73% of the action level.
Does Fort Lee water have PFAS? ▼
Yes. PFAS exceeds the federal limit at 3 of 3 sampling points, running as high as 3.25 times the limit. Limits are enforced on a running annual average at each sampling point, not on a single sample.
Who supplies water to Fort Lee? ▼
Veolia Water New Jersey Hackensack (PWSID NJ0238001). Surface water. Drawn from surface water — SDWIS source code SW
When was this system last inspected? ▼
It was last inspected on 2024-06-13. No significant deficiencies were recorded.

What Should Fort Lee Residents Do?

1
Consider a reverse-osmosis filter
Reverse osmosis removes more than 95% of PFAS. Standard carbon pitchers do not.
2
Check for a lead service line
Lead reaches tap water mainly through service lines and household plumbing. Suppliers now publish an inventory identifying lead lines.
3
Flush before drinking
If water has sat in pipes more than six hours, run the cold tap for two minutes before drinking or cooking.

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