Well owners in Passaic County need to know about PFOA, radon, iron, manganese, lead, chloride, and sulfate in their groundwater. Several of these contaminants exceed EPA health standards and deserve attention.
These contaminants come from mixed sources. Radon seeps naturally from the bedrock itself. PFOA and PFOS are industrial chemicals that have entered groundwater through past manufacturing and land use. Chloride comes from road salt applied to winter roads, which soaks into the ground. Iron and manganese dissolve naturally from the rock as water moves through it. Lead can come from old plumbing in homes and buildings.
Groundwater in this county is soft with moderate iron. Iron concentrations in the bedrock dissolve into the water as it flows underground. Most wells in this county show these iron levels, though individual wells vary.
Wells in Passaic County commonly exceed EPA health standards for several contaminants. PFOA and PFOS are industrial chemicals that can build up in your body over time and are linked to health problems including liver damage, thyroid disease, and immune system effects. Lead damages children's brain development and learning, and harms adults' kidneys and nervous systems. Radon is a radioactive gas that increases lung cancer risk. Chloride and sulfate at elevated levels can affect people with certain heart or kidney conditions. Manganese can harm the nervous system, especially in children.
Iron in county wells creates reddish-brown staining on fixtures, laundry, and dishes. You may notice a metallic or bitter taste in the water. Iron can also cause buildup inside pipes and reduce water flow over time. The good news is that wells in this county are generally soft, so you won't face the scale buildup and shortened appliance lifespan that hard water causes.
We recommend a comprehensive water test as soon as possible, since your well is different from others in the county and could have higher or lower levels of any of these contaminants. Testing is the only way to know what is actually in your water so you can treat it properly. A comprehensive metals and minerals panel costs between $200 and $400. Treatment options like activated carbon filters, ion exchange, and aeration systems can remove or reduce these contaminants depending on what testing reveals.
Not sure if your well is affected? Get certified results in 5–7 days.
Test Your Well Water with Tap Score →| Contaminant | Samples ⓘ | % Above MCL ⓘ | Distribution ⓘ | Confidence ⓘ | Risk ⓘ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PFOA ⓘ municipal | 108 | 69% | High | High | |
| Manganese | 67 | 37% | Moderate | High | |
| PFOS ⓘ municipal | 108 | 30% | High | High | |
| Radon | 12 | 25% | Low | High ⓘ | |
| Iron | 67 | 15% | Moderate | Moderate | |
| Chloride | 67 | 7% | Moderate | Moderate | |
| Sulfate | 67 | 4% | Moderate |
Moderate
Elevated concentration, not % above limit
|
|
| Lead | 50 | 4% | Moderate |
Moderate
Elevated concentration, not % above limit
|
|
| Arsenic | 51 | 0% | Moderate | Low | |
| Fluoride | 61 | 0% | Moderate | Low | |
| HFPO-DA (GenX) ⓘ municipal | 108 | 0% | High | Safe | |
| Nitrate | 70 | 0% | Moderate | Low | |
| Nitrite | 61 | 0% | Moderate | Low | |
| PFHxS ⓘ municipal | 107 | 0% | High | Low | |
| PFNA ⓘ municipal | 108 | 0% | High | Low | |
| Uranium | 14 | 0% | Low | Low | |
| PFBS ⓘ municipal | 108 | — | High | Low | |
| pH | 75 | — | Moderate | Low | |
| Sodium | 63 | — | Moderate | Low | |
| Hardness | 62 | — | Moderate | Low |
MCL = Maximum Contaminant Level (EPA limit for public water; used as benchmark for private wells). Distribution shows % of sampled wells in each concentration band. Methodology.
* Microbial contaminants (E. coli, coliform) reflect only samples from the last 10 years.
Data shows potential risk — a certified test confirms whether your water is affected.
Order a Tap Score Test →Population-level CDC data. Not individual risk prediction.
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