Lead In Drinking Water In New Jersey
What residents of New Jersey need to know about lead in drinking water — including how it enters water, which utilities have documented violations, and what steps to take.
Source: EPA SDWIS, New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (NJDEP), CDC · Last reviewed: 2025-01-01
Quick Answer
Is lead in drinking water a real concern in New Jersey?
Yes — New Jersey has one of the highest densities of pre-1940 housing in the country, and Newark's 2019 lead emergency was a defining event in national drinking water policy.
Is this mostly a public-water issue, a private-well issue, or both?
Primarily public water service lines; Newark has replaced more than 23,000 lead service lines since 2021 following a court-ordered replacement program.
What is the main reason residents should care?
Newark, NJ exceeded the federal lead action level in 2019, leading to bottled water distribution for tens of thousands of residents and a court-ordered, state-supervised lead service line replacement program. NJDEP enforces lead regulations aligned with the federal LCRR.
Key Facts
| Federal Lead Action Level | 15 µg/L — zero is the CDC-recognized safe threshold |
| Newark context | Exceeded action level in 2019; 23,000+ service lines replaced by 2021 |
| Housing stock | NJ has one of the highest densities of pre-1940 housing in the US |
| Regulatory framework | NJDEP enforces Lead and Copper Rule Revisions |
| State oversight | New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (NJDEP) |
Why This Matters in New Jersey
New Jersey is one of the most densely populated states in the country, with an older housing stock concentrated in cities like Newark, Trenton, Camden, Paterson, and Elizabeth. Newark's 2019 lead crisis — when testing revealed widespread exceedances of the federal action level — became a national inflection point for lead-in-water policy. Under a 2021 consent order, Newark replaced all lead service lines in the city. NJDEP now requires all community water systems to submit lead service line inventories and comply with the revised federal Lead and Copper Rule.
Historical Context
Newark distributed bottled water to tens of thousands of residents beginning in 2019 after testing showed widespread lead exceedances. By 2021, Newark completed replacement of more than 23,000 lead service lines — one of the largest accelerated replacement programs in U.S. history.
New Jersey Utilities With Lead Violation Records
The utilities listed below have at least one lead violation on record in EPA's SDWIS database. Violations may be open or resolved — see individual utility pages for current status and risk level.
Veolia Water New Jersey Hackensack
Alpine Boro-0202,Bergenfield Boro-0203,Bogota Boro-0204,Carlstadt Boro-0205,Cliffside Park Boro-0206,Closter Boro-0207,Cresskill Boro-0208,Demarest Boro-0209,Dumont Boro-0210,East Rutherford Boro-0212,Edgewater Boro-0213,Emerson Boro-0214,Englewood City-0215,Englewood Cliffs Boro-0216,Fairview Boro-0218,Fort Lee Boro-0219,Guttenberg Town-0903,Hackensack City-0223,Harrington Park Boro-0224,Hasbrouck Heights-0225,Haworth Boro-0226,Hillsdale Boro-0227,Leonia Boro-0229,Little Ferry Boro-0230,Lodi Boro-0231,Maywood Boro-0234,Montvale Boro-0236,Moonachie Boro-0237,New Milford Boro-0238,North Bergen Twp.-0908,Northvale Boro-0240,Norwood Boro-0241,Old Tappan Boro-0243,Oradell Boro-0244,Palisades Park Boro-0245,Paramus Boro-0246,Ridgefield Boro-0249,Ridgefield Park Twp-0250,River Edge Boro-0252,River Vale Twp-0253,Rochelle Park Twp-0254,Rockleigh Boro-0255,Rutherford Boro-0256,Secaucus Town-0909,South Hackensack Twp-.0259,Teaneck Twp-.0260,Tenafly Boro-0261,Teterboro Boro-0262,Upper Saddle River-0263,Wallington Boro-0265,Washington Twp.-0266,Weehawken Twp.-0911,West New York Town-0912,Westwood Boro-0267,Wood-Ridge Boro-0269,Woodcliff Lake Boro-0268 · 792,713 served
Nj American Water - Coastal North
Aberdeen Twp-1330,Asbury Park City-1303,Bay Head Boro-1502,Bradley Beach Boro-1307,Brick Twp.-1506,Eatontown Boro-1311,Fair Haven Boro-1313,Freehold Twp.-1316,Holmdel Twp.-1318,Howell Twp.-1319,Keansburg Boro-1321,Lakewood Twp.-1514,Lavalette Boro-1515,Little Silver Boro-1323,Long Branch City-1325,Middletown Twp.-1331,Neptune City Boro-1335,Neptune Twp.-1334,Ocean Twp.-1337,Oceanport Boro-1338,Red Bank Boro-1340,Rumson Boro-1342,Shrewsbury Boro-1345,Tinton Falls-1336,Toms River-1507,Union Beach Boro-1350,West Long Branch Boro-1353 · 377,613 served
Passaic Valley Water Commission
Little Falls Twp.-1605 · 310,483 served
Newark Water Department
Belleville Town-0701,Bloomfield Town-0702,East Orange City-0705,Hillside Twp.-2007,Irvington Town-0709,Newark-0714 · 294,274 served
Nj American Water - Western
Audubon Boro-0401,Audubon Park Boro-0402,Barrington Boro-0403,Bellmawr Boro-0404,Beverly City-0302,Burlington Twp.-0306,Camden City-0408,Cherry Hill Twp.-0409,Cinnaminson Twp.-0308,Clementon Boro-0411,Delanco Twp.-0309,Delran Twp.-0310,Edgewater Park Twp.-0312,Gibbsboro Boro-0413,Gloucester Twp.-0415,Haddon Heights Boro-0418,Haddon Twp.-0416,Haddonfield Boro-0417,Hi-Nella Boro-0419,Laurel Springs Boro-0420,Lawnside Boro-0421,Lindenwold Boro-0422,Magnolia Boro-0423,Maple Shade Twp.-0319,Moorestown Twp.-0322,Mount Ephraim Boro-0425,Mount Laurel Twp.-0324,Oaklyn Boro-0426,Palmyra Boro-0327,Pennsauken Twp.-0427,Riverside Twp.-0330,Riverton Boro-0331,Runnemede Boro-0430,Somerdale Boro-0431,Stratford Boro-0432,Voorhees Twp.-0434 · 274,291 served
Jersey City Mua
Jersey City-0906 · 262,000 served
Middlesex Water Company
Woodbridge Twp.-1225 · 233,376 served
Nj American Water - Short Hills
Bedminster Twp.-1801,Belvidere Town-2103,Berkeley Heights Twp.-2001,Bernards Twp.-1802,Bernardsville Boro-1803,Chatham Boro-1404,Chester Twp.-1407,Far Hills Boro-1807,Florham Park Boro-1411,Franklin Twp.-2105,Frenchtown Boro-1011,Harding Twp.-1413,Hillside Twp.-2007,Irvington Town-0709,Little Falls Twp.-1605,Livingston Twp.-0710,Maplewood Twp.-0711,Mendham Boro-1418,Mendham Twp.-1419,Millburn Twp.-0712,Mount Olive Twp.-1427,New Providence Boro-2011,North Caldwell Boro-0715,Oxford Twp.-2117,South Orange Village-0719,Springfield Twp.-2017,Summit City-2018,Union Twp-.2019,Warren Twp.-1820 · 217,230 served
Trenton Water Works
Ewing Twp.-1102,Hamilton Twp.-1103,Hopewell Twp.1106-,Lawrence Twp.-1107,Trenton City-1111 · 217,000 served
Atlantic City Mua
Atlantic City-0102 · 152,415 served
How Lead Gets Into Drinking Water
Lead service lines
The pipe connecting a home to the water main may be made of lead, especially in pre-1986 construction. Water sitting in these lines can accumulate lead before it reaches the tap.
Lead solder
Lead solder at pipe joints was banned for potable water systems in 1986. Homes built before that date — including significant portions of older New Jersey cities — may still have lead solder throughout their plumbing.
Older brass fixtures
Faucets, valves, and fixtures with high lead content were common before the 2014 revision of 'lead-free' standards. Replacing older fixtures at kitchen and drinking taps can meaningfully reduce exposure.
Corrosive water chemistry
Soft, acidic, or low-alkalinity water dissolves lead from plumbing more readily. Utilities use orthophosphate and other corrosion control treatments, but household plumbing after the meter is not within their control.
Who Should Pay Closest Attention
Residents in older urban New Jersey cities, renters in pre-1940 multifamily housing, and families with young children are at the greatest risk. Even after utility-side replacement, household plumbing in older buildings may still contain lead solder and brass fittings.
Families with children under six
Pregnant residents
Households in homes built before 1986
Renters who cannot inspect building plumbing
Residents on a confirmed lead service line
Households that had plumbing work done recently (disturbances dislodge protective scale)
How to Check Your Situation in New Jersey
- 1
Identify your water utility. Use the ZIP lookup below or browse the New Jersey utility directory on this site.
- 2
Read your utility's page on this site to see its current risk level and any open lead violations.
- 3
Contact your utility and ask for your address-level service line material status. Under the federal Lead and Copper Rule Revisions (LCRR), utilities must maintain and provide this information.
- 4
Review your utility's most recent Consumer Confidence Report (CCR) — mailed annually or available on the utility's website.
- 5
Consider testing your tap water at a New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (NJDEP)-certified lab. Your state health department or New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (NJDEP) maintains a list of certified labs.
- 6
If you have young children or are pregnant, install a certified NSF/ANSI 53 or 58 filter at the kitchen tap as a precautionary measure.
Treatment Options
Boiling does not remove lead. Use a certified filter for drinking and cooking water.
NSF/ANSI Standard 53 — Activated Carbon Block
Under-sink or pitcher filters certified to Standard 53 are independently verified to reduce lead. Replace filters on the manufacturer's schedule — an overdue filter may not perform as certified.
NSF/ANSI Standard 58 — Reverse Osmosis
RO systems certified to Standard 58 remove 95–99% of lead and a broad range of contaminants. Requires under-sink installation. More comprehensive than Standard 53 for households with multiple contaminant concerns.
Flushing — temporary mitigation only
EPA recommends flushing the cold tap for 30 seconds to 2 minutes if water has sat in pipes for 6+ hours. Not a substitute for certified filtration or service line replacement.
Frequently Asked Questions
Related Pages
Lead — National Overview
All U.S. utilities with lead records
New Jersey State Overview
All utilities and water quality data
Nitrate in Drinking Water
A separate but common concern
Reverse Osmosis Guide
Removes 95–99% of lead
Activated Carbon Filter Guide
NSF/ANSI 53 certified options
All Contaminants
Complete reference library
Data Sources & Provenance
All data on this page is sourced from official U.S. government or public datasets.