PFOA
2.3× the limitPerfluorooctanoic acid
9.2ng/L
Each block = 4.0 ng/L federal MCL (2024)
EPA UCMR 5 · sampled 2023Evidence
City water report · 2026
Is Jersey City Tap Water Safe? 2026 Water Quality Report
Short answer: Two PFAS, PFOA and PFOS, are above their federal limits (2024 limits that water systems have until at least 2029 to meet); a past health-based violation (E. coli) is on record, and the water is moderately hard. Jersey City MUA serves 262,000 residents.
Likely match, check your bill
JERSEY CITY MUA serves Jersey City
Your water bill or annual water quality report names your actual supplier.
- Source
- Surface water
- Disinfectant
- chlorine
- Lead service lines
- 1,628 lead, 2 galvanized, 26,771 unknown
- JERSEY CITY MUAThis reportNJ0906001 · 262,000 served
Your water utility
What stands out
Two PFAS above the 2024 federal limit
Each bar is drawn in blocks of the 4.0 ng/L federal MCL (2024), so the length shows how far above it the result sits.
PFOS
1.9× the limitPerfluorooctanesulfonic acid
7.7ng/L
Each block = 4.0 ng/L federal MCL (2024)
EPA UCMR 5 · sampled 2023Evidence
Coverage by group
37 results on record- PFAS (forever chemicals)2 above · 3 detected · 24 not detected
- Metals & lead2 detected
- Disinfection by-products2 detected
- Other1 above · 2 detected · 1 not detected
Every detected result
12 detected results, by distance from their limit
JERSEY CITY MUA (EPA PWSID NJ0906001) delivers surface water to 262,000 residents. This report reflects 29 individual PFAS result(s) from the source UCMR5 observations and the latest Lead & Copper Rule 90th-percentile result. The utility's 2023 CCR reports moderately hard water and chlorine disinfection.
- Perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA)EPA UCMR 5 · 20234.0 ng/L federal MCL (2024)9.2ng/LAbove limit
- Perfluorooctanesulfonic acid (PFOS)EPA UCMR 5 · 20234.0 ng/L federal MCL (2024)7.7ng/LAbove limit
- Total trihalomethanes (TTHM)Utility CCR · 202380 ppb federal MCL58.5ppbWithin reference
- Haloacetic acids (HAA5)Utility CCR · 202360 ppb federal MCL37.5ppbWithin reference
- Perfluorohexanesulfonic acid (PFHxS)EPA UCMR 5 · 202310 ng/L federal MCL (2024)5ng/LWithin reference
- Lead (90th percentile)EPA SDWIS (Lead & Copper Rule) · 202615 µg/L federal action level5.7µg/LWithin reference
- CopperUtility CCR · 20231.3 mg/L (action level)0.129mg/LWithin reference
- NitrateUtility CCR · 202310 mg/L0.4mg/LWithin reference
- Perfluorohexanoic acid (PFHxA)EPA UCMR 5 · 2023400,000 ng/L Michigan EGLE state MCL (strictest US state)3.7ng/LWithin reference
- E. coliEPA SDWIS violations · 2020Federal MCL—Above limit
- Water hardnessUtility CCR · 2023Aesthetic, no federal health limit4.4gpgWithin reference
- Perfluoropentanoic acid (PFPeA)EPA UCMR 5 · 2023No federal or state limit; shown for transparency4.5ng/LDetected · no limit
25 other contaminants tested, none detected
- 11Cl-PF3OUdS
- 4:2 FTS
- 6:2 FTS
- 8:2 FTS
- 9Cl-PF3ONS
- ADONA
- HFPO-DA (GenX)
- NEtFOSAA
- NFDHA
- NMeFOSAA
- PFBA
- PFBS
- PFDA
- PFDoA
- PFEESA
- PFHpA
- PFHpS
- PFMBA
- PFMPA
- PFNA
- PFPeS
- PFTA
- PFTrDA
- PFUnA
- Lithium
Track record
1health-based violation in the last 10 years
From EPA SDWIS. Counted once per contaminant per year, as in the Track record score.
Health-based violations, last 10 years
Every filing is listed; the Track record score counts at most one per contaminant per year.
- Revised Total Coliform Rule
Resolved
- Revised Total Coliform RuleMCL
to Resolved
What you can do
Test first, then treat what was found
- 01 · TestTest your own tap
Plumbing inside a home can add lead that the system record can't show. A tap test tells you what reaches your glass.
Certified labHow to test your tap → - 02 · Treat PFASReverse osmosis, or carbon certified for PFAS
PFOA 9.2 ng/L, above the 4 ng/L limit (+4 more PFAS detected)
NSF/ANSI 58 or 53, with PFOA/PFOS/PFHxA/PFHxS/PFPeA named on the listingTreatment for PFAS → - 03 · LeadLead-certified carbon filter, or reverse osmosis
lead 5.7 µg/L, below the 15 µg/L action level (detected below the limit); 1,628 lead service lines; 2 galvanized lines to replace (context, not a tap measurement)
NSF/ANSI 53 (lead)Treatment for Lead →
Test your own tap
Screening tells you if something is worth a closer look; a lab result is the number you can act on.
As an Amazon Associate, PurityMap earns from qualifying purchases. Affiliate disclosure.
Screening: quick check, not lab-grade
Safe Home DIY Lead in Drinking Water Combo Test Kit
Safe Home (EnviroTestKits)
Lead, read as one of three ranges: 0–4, 5–15 or 15+ ppb
- Turnaround: 5 minutes
What it can't tell you: It shows a lead range, not an exact level, and tests nothing else unless you pay extra for the optional lab test.
Lab-certified results
ETR Labs Basic Water Quality Test Kit
ETR Laboratories
50+ substances, including lead, copper, arsenic, nitrate, hardness and coliform bacteria
- Analyzed by Environmental Testing and Research Laboratories (ETR Labs), Leominster, MA · ISO/IEC 17025:2017, ANAB certificate AT-2638
- Turnaround: 2–4 business days after the lab receives it
What it can't tell you: It does not test PFAS, and not every result on the panel falls under the lab's accredited scope.
Commercial
Certified for a concern found here
Each card names which Jersey City findings its current certification covers, and which it doesn't.
As an Amazon Associate, PurityMap earns from qualifying purchases. A product appears here only when a current certification record covers at least one identified concern; every concern stays listed. The retail offer is looked up afterwards and never changes which products appear or their order. Affiliate disclosure.
Under-Sink Filter
Aquasana Claryum 3-Stage Max Flow Under-Sink Filter (AQ-6300M)
- PFOA: eligible, evidence match
- PFOS: eligible, evidence match
- Lead: eligible, evidence match
- Not established: Perfluorohexanoic acid (PFHxA), PFHxS, Perfluoropentanoic acid (PFPeA)
Not suitable for (5)
- Treating every tap in the home
- A whole-home hard-water or scale problem
- All PFAS: its evidence covers only the compounds it names
- Anyone who can't plumb, drill or hire an installer
- Renters who can't modify plumbing
Countertop System
Aquasana Clean Water Machine Countertop Filter (AQ-CWM2)
- PFOA: eligible, evidence match
- PFOS: eligible, evidence match
- Lead: eligible, evidence match
- Not established: Perfluorohexanoic acid (PFHxA), PFHxS, Perfluoropentanoic acid (PFPeA)
Not suitable for (3)
- Treating every tap in the home
- A whole-home hard-water or scale problem
- All PFAS: its evidence covers only the compounds it names
See all 9 products certified for a Jersey City concern →
Countertop System
AquaTru Classic Countertop Reverse-Osmosis Purifier (AT2000)
- PFOA: eligible, evidence match
- PFOS: eligible, evidence match
- Lead: eligible, evidence match
- Not established: Perfluorohexanoic acid (PFHxA), PFHxS, Perfluoropentanoic acid (PFPeA)
Not suitable for (3)
- Treating every tap in the home
- A whole-home hard-water or scale problem
- All PFAS: its evidence covers only the compounds it names
Under-Sink Filter
Under-Sink Reverse-Osmosis System
- PFOA: eligible, evidence match
- PFOS: eligible, evidence match
- Lead: eligible, evidence match
- Not established: Perfluorohexanoic acid (PFHxA), PFHxS, Perfluoropentanoic acid (PFPeA)
Not suitable for (5)
- Treating every tap in the home
- A whole-home hard-water or scale problem
- All PFAS: its evidence covers only the compounds it names
- Anyone who can't plumb, drill or hire an installer
- Renters who can't modify plumbing
Under-Sink Filter
Waterdrop G3P600 Tankless Reverse-Osmosis System
- PFOA: eligible, evidence match
- PFOS: eligible, evidence match
- Lead: eligible, evidence match
- Not established: Perfluorohexanoic acid (PFHxA), PFHxS, Perfluoropentanoic acid (PFPeA)
Not suitable for (5)
- Treating every tap in the home
- A whole-home hard-water or scale problem
- All PFAS: its evidence covers only the compounds it names
- Anyone who can't plumb, drill or hire an installer
- Renters who can't modify plumbing
Refrigerator Filter
Whirlpool Filter 3 Refrigerator Water Filter (WHR3RXD1)
- PFOA: eligible, evidence match
- PFOS: eligible, evidence match
- Lead: eligible, evidence match
- Not established: Perfluorohexanoic acid (PFHxA), PFHxS, Perfluoropentanoic acid (PFPeA)
Not suitable for (3)
- Treating every tap in the home
- A whole-home hard-water or scale problem
- All PFAS: its evidence covers only the compounds it names
Water Pitcher
Culligan ZeroWater 10-Cup Pitcher (ZEROP10)
- Lead: eligible, evidence match
- Not established: PFOA, PFOS, Perfluorohexanoic acid (PFHxA) and 2 more
Not suitable for (3)
- Treating every tap in the home
- A whole-home hard-water or scale problem
- All PFAS: its evidence covers only the compounds it names
Faucet Attachment
Faucet-Mount Filter
- Lead: eligible, evidence match
- Not established: PFOA, PFOS, Perfluorohexanoic acid (PFHxA) and 2 more
Not suitable for (3)
- Treating every tap in the home
- A whole-home hard-water or scale problem
- All PFAS: its evidence covers only the compounds it names
Under-Sink Filter
Under-Sink Carbon Block Filter
- Lead: eligible, evidence match
- Not established: PFOA, PFOS, Perfluorohexanoic acid (PFHxA) and 2 more
Not suitable for (4)
- Treating every tap in the home
- A whole-home hard-water or scale problem
- All PFAS: its evidence covers only the compounds it names
- Anyone who can't plumb, drill or hire an installer
Questions
Frequently asked questions
Is Jersey City tap water safe to drink?
PurityMap does not give a safe/unsafe verdict; it shows what the public records measured. For Jersey City, PFOA 9.2 ng/L and PFOS 7.7 ng/L were measured above the 4 ng/L federal limit in EPA's 2024 testing; the lead 90th-percentile result was 5.7 µg/L against the 15 µg/L action level; one health-based violation is on record (E. coli). JERSEY CITY MUA (PWSID NJ0906001) has a Purity Score of 59/100 (confidence: high), assessed at the water-system level and computed only from contaminants that were measured. Water can change in your own pipes, so a certified test is the only way to know what comes out of your tap.
Who provides tap water in Jersey City?
JERSEY CITY MUA (PWS ID NJ0906001) is the public water system on record for Jersey City, New Jersey, serving about 262,000 people. Confirm the utility on your water bill before acting on a specific finding.
Where does Jersey City get its drinking water?
Surface water (primary source of record in EPA SDWIS).
Are PFAS "forever chemicals" in Jersey City's water?
Yes. In EPA's UCMR 5 testing (2023-02-23 to 2024-07-29), PFOA was measured at 9.2 ng/L against a 4 ng/L federal limit and PFOS was measured at 7.7 ng/L against a 4 ng/L federal limit. PFHxA (3.7 ng/L, below the 400,000 ng/L state limit) and PFHxS (5 ng/L, below the 10 ng/L federal limit) were also detected. PFPeA (4.5 ng/L) was also detected; it has no federal or state limit. Reverse osmosis and filters certified to NSF/ANSI 53 for PFOA/PFOS reduce them at the tap.
Is there lead in Jersey City's tap water?
JERSEY CITY MUA's most recent lead 90th-percentile result (2026) was 5.7 µg/L, below the 15 µg/L action level. That figure comes from sampled homes; lead usually enters from a building's own pipes and fixtures, so only a test at your tap tells you what you drink.
Has Jersey City's water system had violations?
The federal SDWIS record lists a health-based violation for JERSEY CITY MUA within about the last ten years: E. coli (2020). The findings above show each one's status.
What does the latest Jersey City water report show?
PurityMap's current record for Jersey City holds 37 findings: 3 above a reference, 8 detected within the reference, 1 detected with no limit and 25 not detected. Each finding links to its dated public record; a parameter that was never monitored is shown as pending, not as a pass.
Is Jersey City's water hard?
Jersey City's water is recorded as 4.4 gpg, moderately hard. Hardness is an aesthetic and plumbing characteristic, not a health-based limit.
Follow this water
Follow Jersey City's water
One email when a new sampling round is published, a result moves above or below its reference, or the system's score changes.
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Sources and dataAll 37 records and their sourcesEPA UCMR 5 · EPA SDWIS (Lead & Copper Rule) · Utility CCR · EPA SDWIS violations
25 other contaminants tested — none detected
- Result
- 9.2 ng/L
- Benchmark
- 4.0 ng/L federal MCL (2024)
- Sampled
- 2023-02-23 to 2024-07-29
Perfluorooctanesulfonic acid (PFOS)
- Result
- 7.7 ng/L
- Benchmark
- 4.0 ng/L federal MCL (2024)
- Sampled
- 2023-10-16 to 2024-07-29
- Result
- =
- Benchmark
- Federal MCL
- Sampled
- 2020
- Result
- 58.5 ppb
- Benchmark
- 80 ppb federal MCL
- Sampled
- 2023
- Result
- 37.5 ppb
- Benchmark
- 60 ppb federal MCL
- Sampled
- 2023
Perfluorohexanesulfonic acid (PFHxS)
- Result
- 5 ng/L
- Benchmark
- 10 ng/L federal MCL (2024)
- Sampled
- 2023-10-16 to 2024-07-29
- Result
- 5.7 µg/L
- Benchmark
- 15 µg/L federal action level
- Sampled
- 2026–2026 monitoring period (still open)
- Result
- 0.129 mg/L
- Benchmark
- 1.3 mg/L (action level)
- Sampled
- 2023
- Result
- 0.4 mg/L
- Benchmark
- 10 mg/L
- Sampled
- 2023
Perfluorohexanoic acid (PFHxA)
- Result
- 3.7 ng/L
- Benchmark
- 400,000 ng/L Michigan EGLE state MCL (strictest US state)
- Sampled
- 2023-02-23 to 2024-07-29
- Result
- 4.4 gpg
- Benchmark
- Aesthetic, no federal health limit
- Sampled
- 2023
Perfluoropentanoic acid (PFPeA)
- Result
- 4.5 ng/L
- Benchmark
- No federal or state limit; shown for transparency
- Sampled
- 2023-02-23 to 2024-07-29
25 other contaminants tested — none detected
11-Chloroeicosafluoro-3-oxaundecane-1-sulfonic acid (11Cl-PF3OUdS)
- Result
- < 5 ng/L
- Benchmark
- No federal or state limit; shown for transparency
- Sampled
- 2023-02-23 to 2024-07-29
1H, 1H, 2H, 2H-perfluorodecane sulfonic acid (8:2 FTS)
- Result
- < 5 ng/L
- Benchmark
- No federal or state limit; shown for transparency
- Sampled
- 2023-02-23 to 2024-07-29
1H, 1H, 2H, 2H-perfluorohexane sulfonic acid (4:2 FTS)
- Result
- < 3 ng/L
- Benchmark
- No federal or state limit; shown for transparency
- Sampled
- 2023-02-23 to 2024-07-29
1H, 1H, 2H, 2H-perfluorooctane sulfonic acid (6:2 FTS)
- Result
- < 5 ng/L
- Benchmark
- No federal or state limit; shown for transparency
- Sampled
- 2023-02-23 to 2024-07-29
4,8-Dioxa-3H-perfluorononanoic acid (ADONA)
- Result
- < 3 ng/L
- Benchmark
- No federal or state limit; shown for transparency
- Sampled
- 2023-02-23 to 2024-07-29
9-Chlorohexadecafluoro-3-oxanone-1-sulfonic acid (9Cl-PF3ONS)
- Result
- < 2 ng/L
- Benchmark
- No federal or state limit; shown for transparency
- Sampled
- 2023-02-23 to 2024-07-29
Hexafluoropropylene oxide dimer acid (HFPO-DA) (GenX chemicals)
- Result
- < 5 ng/L
- Benchmark
- 10 ng/L federal MCL (2024)
- Sampled
- 2023-02-23 to 2024-07-29
- Result
- < 9 µg/L
- Benchmark
- 10 µg/L EPA health reference level (screening, not a legal limit)Screening level, not a legal limit
- Sampled
- 2023-02-23 to 2023-11-06
N-ethyl perfluorooctanesulfonamidoacetic acid (NEtFOSAA)
- Result
- < 5 ng/L
- Benchmark
- No federal or state limit; shown for transparency
- Sampled
- 2023-02-23 to 2023-11-06
N-methyl perfluorooctanesulfonamidoacetic acid (NMeFOSAA)
- Result
- < 6 ng/L
- Benchmark
- No federal or state limit; shown for transparency
- Sampled
- 2023-02-23 to 2023-11-06
Nonafluoro-3,6-dioxaheptanoic acid (NFDHA)
- Result
- < 20 ng/L
- Benchmark
- No federal or state limit; shown for transparency
- Sampled
- 2023-10-16 to 2024-07-29
Perfluoro (2-ethoxyethane) sulfonic acid (PFEESA)
- Result
- < 3 ng/L
- Benchmark
- No federal or state limit; shown for transparency
- Sampled
- 2023-02-23 to 2024-07-29
Perfluoro-3-methoxypropanoic acid (PFMPA)
- Result
- < 4 ng/L
- Benchmark
- No federal or state limit; shown for transparency
- Sampled
- 2023-02-23 to 2024-07-29
Perfluoro-4-methoxybutanoic acid (PFMBA)
- Result
- < 3 ng/L
- Benchmark
- No federal or state limit; shown for transparency
- Sampled
- 2023-02-23 to 2024-07-29
Perfluorobutanesulfonic acid (PFBS)
- Result
- < 3 ng/L
- Benchmark
- 2,000 ng/L EPA health advisory (screening, not a legal limit)Screening level, not a legal limit
- Sampled
- 2023-02-23 to 2024-07-29
- Result
- < 5 ng/L
- Benchmark
- No federal or state limit; shown for transparency
- Sampled
- 2023-02-23 to 2024-07-29
- Result
- < 3 ng/L
- Benchmark
- No federal or state limit; shown for transparency
- Sampled
- 2023-02-23 to 2024-07-29
Perfluorododecanoic acid (PFDoA)
- Result
- < 3 ng/L
- Benchmark
- No federal or state limit; shown for transparency
- Sampled
- 2023-02-23 to 2024-07-29
Perfluoroheptanesulfonic acid (PFHpS)
- Result
- < 3 ng/L
- Benchmark
- No federal or state limit; shown for transparency
- Sampled
- 2023-02-23 to 2024-07-29
Perfluoroheptanoic acid (PFHpA)
- Result
- < 3 ng/L
- Benchmark
- No federal or state limit; shown for transparency
- Sampled
- 2023-02-23 to 2024-07-29
- Result
- < 4 ng/L
- Benchmark
- 10 ng/L federal MCL (2024)
- Sampled
- 2023-02-23 to 2024-07-29
Perfluoropentanesulfonic acid (PFPeS)
- Result
- < 4 ng/L
- Benchmark
- No federal or state limit; shown for transparency
- Sampled
- 2023-02-23 to 2024-07-29
Perfluorotetradecanoic acid (PFTA)
- Result
- < 8 ng/L
- Benchmark
- No federal or state limit; shown for transparency
- Sampled
- 2023-02-23 to 2023-11-06
Perfluorotridecanoic acid (PFTrDA)
- Result
- < 7 ng/L
- Benchmark
- No federal or state limit; shown for transparency
- Sampled
- 2023-02-23 to 2023-11-06
Perfluoroundecanoic acid (PFUnA)
- Result
- < 2 ng/L
- Benchmark
- No federal or state limit; shown for transparency
- Sampled
- 2023-10-16 to 2024-07-29
Every value is the published result from the cited public record. A reporting limit is the lowest level the method could reliably quantify; a non-detect is not a guarantee of zero.
UCMR5 Analytical Results
UCMR5 Analytical Results: JERSEY CITY MUA (NJ0906001)
US EPA
State SDWIS Compliance Record
Lead & Copper Rule 90th-percentile: JERSEY CITY MUA (NJ0906001)
US EPA SDWIS
Consumer Confidence Report (CCR)
Veolia (Jersey City) 2023 Consumer Confidence Report (CCR)
Veolia (Jersey City)
State SDWIS Compliance Record
EPA SDWIS Violations & Enforcement: JERSEY CITY MUA (NJ0906001)
US EPA SDWIS
Methodology: how we analyze water. Prepared with AI assistance and reviewed by the PurityMap Editorial Team before publication.
Something off with your water's smell, color or taste?
Start with the hot-or-cold tap check. Where Jersey City MUA reported something related, it's shown below.
- Rotten-egg smell
- Cloudy or milky water
- Chlorine smell
Jersey City disinfects with chlorine (utility water-quality report).
- Brown or yellow water
- Metallic taste
Lead at Jersey City MUA: 5.7 µg/L (90th percentile, 2026 monitoring period (still open)). Lead has no taste, so a taste neither shows nor rules it out.
Copper: 0.129 mg/L (utility water-quality report, 2023). The federal action level is 1.3 mg/L.