We read 32 results from Middlesex Water Company’s 2025 water quality report. No results over a legal limit; 10 above a health goal or guideline.
Serves about 233,376 people · Water system ID NJ1225001 · 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Arsenichighest measured · range ND to 1 · Treatment plants and wells · 2025 report, page 9 | 1 ppb | 0.004 ppb | 10 ppb | Above the health goal250x the health goal |
| Bromatehighest measured · range ND to 7 · Treatment plant · 2025 report, page 9 | 7 ppb | 0.1 ppb | 10 ppb | Above the health goal70x the health goal |
| Chromium-6highest measured · range 0.2 to 0.7 · Treatment plants and wells · 2025 report, page 9 | 0.7 ppb | 0.02 ppb | 10 ppb | Above the health goal35x the health goal |
| Lead90th percentile of homes tested · Customer taps · 2025 report, page 9 | 1 ppb | 0.2 ppb | 15 ppb (action level) | Above the health goal5x the health goal |
| Manganesehighest measured · range ND to 0.16 · printed as 160 ppb · sampled 2023 · Treatment plants and wells · 2025 report, page 9 | 0.16 ppm | — | 0.05 ppm guideline | Above the guideline3.2x the guideline (taste, odor or stains; not a health limit) |
| Perchloratehighest measured · range ND to 1.4 · Treatment plants and wells · 2025 report, page 9 | 1.4 ppb | 1 ppb | 6 ppb | Above the health goal1.4x the health goal |
| PFOA (a PFAS)highest running annual average · range ND to 7 · Treatment plants and wells · 2025 report, page 9 | 2.9 ppt | 0.007 ppt | 14 ppt (New Jersey) now; 4 ppt from 2029 | Above the health goal414x the health goal |
| PFOS (a PFAS)highest running annual average · range ND to 5 · Treatment plants and wells · 2025 report, page 9 | 1.8 ppt | 1 ppt | 13 ppt (New Jersey) now; 4 ppt from 2029 | Above the health goal1.8x the health goal |
| Radium (combined 226 + 228)highest measured · range ND to 1 · sampled 2023 · Treatment plants and wells · 2025 report, page 9 | 1 pCi/L | 0 pCi/L | 5 pCi/L | Above the health goalThe health goal is zero |
| Uraniumhighest measured · range ND to 2 · sampled 2023 · Treatment plants and wells · 2025 report, page 9 | 2 ppb | 0.6 ppb | 30 ppb | Above the health goal3.3x the health goal |
| Bariumhighest measured · range 0.03 to 0.2 · Treatment plants and wells · 2025 report, page 9 | 0.2 ppm | 2 ppm | 2 ppm | Below the health goal |
| Chlorideaverage · range 43 to 52 · System · 2025 report, page 9 | 48 ppm | — | 250 ppm guideline | Within the guideline |
| Chlorinehighest running annual average · range 0.1 to 3 · Distribution system · 2025 report, page 9 | 1.1 ppm | None set | 4 ppm | Below the legal limit |
| Chromium (total)highest measured · range ND to 1 · Treatment plants and wells · 2025 report, page 9 | 1 ppb | None set | 100 ppb | Below the legal limit |
| Copper90th percentile of homes tested · Customer taps · 2025 report, page 9 | 0.3 ppm | 0.3 ppm | 1.3 ppm (action level) | Below the health goal |
| Disinfection byproducts (HAA5)highest running annual average · range ND to 27 · Distribution system · 2025 report, page 9 | 27 ppb | None set | 60 ppb | Below the legal limit |
| Disinfection byproducts (TTHM)highest running annual average · range 1 to 67 · Distribution system · 2025 report, page 9 | 40 ppb | None set | 80 ppb | Below the legal limit |
| Fluoridehighest measured · range ND to 0.1 · Treatment plants and wells · 2025 report, page 9 | 0.1 ppm | 1 ppm | 4 ppm | Below the health goal |
| Nitrate (as N)highest measured · range 1 to 3 · Treatment plants and wells · 2025 report, page 9 | 3 ppm | 10 ppm | 10 ppm | Below the health goal |
| pHaverage · range 7.6 to 7.7 · System · 2025 report, page 9 | 7.7 | — | — | Normal range |
| Sulfateaverage · range 18 to 54 · System · 2025 report, page 9 | 36 ppm | — | 250 ppm guideline | Within the guideline |
| Turbidity (cloudiness)highest measured · Treatment plant · 2025 report, page 9 | 1 NTU | None set | 1 NTU | Below the legal limit |
| 1,4-Dioxanehighest measured · range ND to 0.1 · Treatment plants and wells · 2025 report, page 9 | 0.1 ppb | None set | None | No health limit |
| Alkalinityaverage · range 61 to 187 · System · 2025 report, page 9 | 124 ppm | None set | None | No health limit |
| Chloratehighest measured · range 85 to 240 · Treatment plants and wells · 2025 report, page 9 | 240 ppb | None set | None | No health limit |
| Hardnessaverage · range 5.26 to 18 · System · 2025 report, page 9 | 9.18 gpg (157 ppm) | — | — | Hard |
| Lithiumhighest measured · range ND to 12 · sampled 2023 · Treatment plants and wells · 2025 report, page 9 | 12 ppb | None set | None | No health limit |
| Nickelhighest measured · range ND to 2 · Treatment plants and wells · 2025 report, page 9 | 2 ppb | None set | None | No health limit |
| PFBA (a PFAS)highest measured · range ND to 7 · sampled 2023 · Treatment plants and wells · 2025 report, page 9 | 7 ppt | None set | None | No health limit |
| PFBS (a PFAS)highest measured · range ND to 2 · Treatment plants and wells · 2025 report, page 9 | 2 ppt | None set | None | No health limit |
| PFPeA (a PFAS)highest measured · range ND to 3 · sampled 2023 · Treatment plants and wells · 2025 report, page 9 | 3 ppt | None set | None | No health limit |
| Sodiumaverage · range 30 to 39 · System · 2025 report, page 9 | 35 ppm | 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. 1 number we weren’t sure about is held back until a person checks.
EPA testing for PFAS and lithium
EPA’s own nationwide testing (UCMR 5) found these in Middlesex Water Company’s water between Nov 2023 and Aug 2024. These are EPA lab results, separate from the district’s report. Anything not listed was not detected.
- PFOA6.5 pptFound in 3 of 10 samples · highest resultAbove the federal limit that takes effect in 2029 (4 ppt)
- Lithium14 ppbFound in 2 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.
Lead
Found: Lead
What removes it: Certified carbon block or RO.
Sediment or cloudy water
Found: Manganese
What removes it: Oxidation filter.
Industrial chemicals and pesticides
Found: Perchlorate
What removes it: Carbon block or RO.
PFAS ("forever chemicals")
Found: PFOA (a PFAS), PFOS (a PFAS), PFOA (EPA testing)
What removes it: Reverse osmosis.
Radium and uranium
Found: Radium (combined 226 + 228), Uranium
What removes it: Reverse osmosis.
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