We read 13 results from Garfield Water Department’s 2025 water quality report. No results over a legal limit; 6 above a health goal or guideline.
Serves about 30,487 people · Water system ID NJ0221001 · Read the district’s 2025 report (opens in a new tab)
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Results from the 2025 report
Each number is copied from the district’s report and links to the page it’s printed on. Where the report lists several plants, wells or purchased water, the highest is shown.
| Contaminant | Result | Health goal | Legal limit | What it means |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gross alpha (radioactivity)highest measured · range ND to 10.2 · listed as a violation in the report · Sources · 2025 report, page 5 | 10.2 pCi/L | 0 pCi/L | 15 pCi/L | Above the health goalThe health goal is zero |
| Lead90th percentile of 35 homes tested · listed as a violation in the report · Customer taps · 2025 report, page 5 | 3.33 ppb | 0.2 ppb | 15 ppb (action level) | Above the health goal17x the health goal |
| PFOA (a PFAS)single sample · printed as 0.0065 ug/L · sampled 2024 · PVWC connection (UCMR 5) · 2025 report, page 6 | 6.5 ppt | 0.007 ppt | 14 ppt (New Jersey) now; 4 ppt from 2029 | Above the federal limit that takes effect in 20291.6x the 4 ppt federal limit that takes effect in 2029; below the 14 ppt New Jersey limitNot a violation yet: EPA's 4 ppt limit is final, but water systems don't have to meet it until 2029. |
| PFOS (a PFAS)single sample · printed as 0.0058 ug/L · sampled 2024 · PVWC connection (UCMR 5) · 2025 report, page 6 | 5.8 ppt | 1 ppt | 13 ppt (New Jersey) now; 4 ppt from 2029 | Above the federal limit that takes effect in 20291.5x the 4 ppt federal limit that takes effect in 2029; below the 13 ppt New Jersey limitNot a violation yet: EPA's 4 ppt limit is final, but water systems don't have to meet it until 2029. |
| Radium (combined 226 + 228)highest measured · range ND to 1.17 · listed as a violation in the report · Sources · 2025 report, page 5 | 1.17 pCi/L | 0 pCi/L | 5 pCi/L | Above the health goalThe health goal is zero |
| Uraniumhighest measured · range 1.96 to 4.06 · listed as a violation in the report · Sources · 2025 report, page 5 | 4.06 ppb | 0.6 ppb | 30 ppb | Above the health goal6.8x the health goal |
| Copper90th percentile of 35 homes tested · listed as a violation in the report · Customer taps · 2025 report, page 5 | 0.18 ppm | 0.3 ppm | 1.3 ppm (action level) | Below the health goal |
| Disinfection byproducts (HAA5)highest measured · range 0.48 to 18.1 · listed as a violation in the report · Distribution system · 2025 report, page 5 | 18.1 ppb | None set | 60 ppb | Below the legal limit |
| Disinfection byproducts (TTHM)highest measured · range 1.48 to 63.9 · listed as a violation in the report · Distribution system · 2025 report, page 5 | 63.9 ppb | None set | 80 ppb | Below the legal limit |
| Nitrate (as N)highest measured · range 2.98 to 4.64 · listed as a violation in the report · Sources · 2025 report, page 5 | 4.64 ppm | 10 ppm | 10 ppm | Below the health goal |
| PFBA (a PFAS)single sample · printed as 0.0236 ug/L · sampled 2024 · Well 1A (UCMR 5) · 2025 report, page 6 | 23.6 ppt | None set | None | No health limit |
| PFHxA (a PFAS)single sample · printed as 0.0076 ug/L · sampled 2024 · PVWC connection (UCMR 5) · 2025 report, page 6 | 7.6 ppt | None set | None | No health limit |
| PFPeA (a PFAS)single sample · printed as 0.0084 ug/L · sampled 2024 · PVWC connection (UCMR 5) · 2025 report, page 6 | 8.4 ppt | None set | None | No health limit |
Utility results describe the whole system, measured where water enters the pipes, not your tap. Your home’s plumbing can add lead or copper.
EPA testing for PFAS and lithium
EPA’s own nationwide testing (UCMR 5) found these in Garfield Water Department’s water between Oct 2023 and Jul 2024. These are EPA lab results, separate from the district’s report. Anything not listed was not detected.
- PFOA8.4 pptFound in 4 of 10 samples · highest resultAbove the federal limit that takes effect in 2029 (4 ppt)
- PFOS5.8 pptFound in 3 of 10 samples · highest resultAbove the federal limit that takes effect in 2029 (4 ppt)
- PFBS3 pptFound in 1 of 10 samples · highest resultNo federal limit in force for this one
- Lithium12.9 ppbFound in 3 of 10 samples · highest resultAbove EPA’s health reference level of 10 ppb (a guide, not a legal limit)
Source: EPA UCMR 5 occurrence data. The highest single result is shown; one high sample doesn’t mean every glass is that high.
What you can do
Nothing here is an emergency notice: if the district has a violation, it must tell customers directly. If you’d like to lower these at your tap, these are the treatments that remove them, and the catalog shows the models certified for each. Ranking is by certified removal; commissions never change the order.
Radium and uranium
Found: Gross alpha (radioactivity), Radium (combined 226 + 228), Uranium
What removes it: Reverse osmosis.
Lead
Found: Lead
What removes it: Certified carbon block or RO.
PFAS ("forever chemicals")
Found: PFOA (a PFAS), PFOS (a PFAS), PFOA (EPA testing), PFOS (EPA testing)
What removes it: Reverse osmosis.
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