We read 27 results from Passaic Valley Water Commission’s 2025 water quality report. No results over a legal limit; 4 above a health goal or guideline.
Serves about 310,483 people · Water system ID NJ1605002 · 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lead90th percentile of 102 homes tested, 2 over the action level · Customer taps (Jan-Jun 2025) · 2025 report, page 6 | 3.73 ppb | 0.2 ppb | 15 ppb (action level) | Above the health goal19x the health goal |
| PFOA (a PFAS)highest running annual average · range 5.7 to 11 · Little Falls plant · 2025 report, page 6 | 8.62 ppt | 0.007 ppt | 14 ppt (New Jersey) now; 4 ppt from 2029 | Above the federal limit that takes effect in 20292.2x 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)highest running annual average · range 3.1 to 5.9 · Little Falls plant · 2025 report, page 6 | 5.25 ppt | 1 ppt | 13 ppt (New Jersey) now; 4 ppt from 2029 | Above the federal limit that takes effect in 20291.3x 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. |
| Total dissolved solidshighest measured · range 353 to 533 · Little Falls plant · 2025 report, page 7 | 533 ppm | — | 500 ppm guideline | Above the guideline1.1x the guideline (taste, odor or stains; not a health limit) |
| Bariumhighest measured · range 0.02 to 0.03 · Little Falls plant · 2025 report, page 6 | 0.03 ppm | 2 ppm | 2 ppm | Below the health goal |
| Chloridehighest measured · range 122 to 185 · Little Falls plant · 2025 report, page 7 | 185 ppm | — | 250 ppm guideline | Within the guideline |
| Chlorinehighest running annual average · range ND to 3.92 · Distribution system · 2025 report, page 6 | 1.19 ppm | None set | 4 ppm | Below the legal limit |
| Copper90th percentile of 102 homes tested, 0 over the action level · Customer taps (Jan-Jun 2025) · 2025 report, page 6 | 0.09 ppm | 0.3 ppm | 1.3 ppm (action level) | Below the health goal |
| Disinfection byproducts (HAA5)highest running annual average · range 11.7 to 36.4 · Distribution system · 2025 report, page 6 | 29.1 ppb | None set | 60 ppb | Below the legal limit |
| Disinfection byproducts (TTHM)highest running annual average · range 15.4 to 77.6 · Distribution system · 2025 report, page 6 | 48.3 ppb | None set | 80 ppb | Below the legal limit |
| E. colias reported · Distribution system · 2025 report, page 6 | Not detected | 0 positive samples | 0 positive samples | Not detected |
| Fluoridehighest measured · range ND to 0.08 · Little Falls plant · 2025 report, page 6 | 0.08 ppm | 1 ppm | 4 ppm | Below the health goal |
| Manganesehighest measured · range 0.01 to 0.04 · printed as 38.36 ppb · Little Falls plant, highest of 2 sources · 2025 report, page 7 | 0.04 ppm | — | 0.05 ppm guideline | Within the guideline |
| Nitrate (as N)highest measured · range ND to 3.35 · Little Falls plant · 2025 report, page 6 | 3.35 ppm | 10 ppm | 10 ppm | Below the health goal |
| PFHxS (a PFAS)highest measured · range ND to 3.1 · Little Falls plant · 2025 report, page 7 | 3.1 ppt | None set | 10 ppt from 2029 | Below the legal limit |
| pHhighest measured · range 7.92 to 8.38 · Little Falls plant · 2025 report, page 7 | 8.38 | — | — | Normal range |
| Radium (combined 226 + 228)highest measured · sampled 2023 · Little Falls plant · 2025 report, page 6 | Not detected | 0 pCi/L | 5 pCi/L | Not detected |
| Sulfatehighest measured · range 53.8 to 92.4 · Little Falls plant · 2025 report, page 7 | 92.4 ppm | — | 250 ppm guideline | Within the guideline |
| Turbidity (cloudiness)highest measured · range 0.02 to 0.14 · Little Falls plant · 2025 report, page 6 | 0.14 NTU | None set | 1 NTU | Below the legal limit |
| 1,4-Dioxanehighest measured · range ND to 0.07 · Little Falls plant · 2025 report, page 7 | 0.07 ppb | None set | None | No health limit |
| Chlorateaverage · range 125 to 323 · Little Falls plant · 2025 report, page 7 | 205 ppb | None set | None | No health limit |
| Hardnesshighest measured · range 6.2 to 14.2 · Little Falls plant · 2025 report, page 7 | 14.2 gpg (242 ppm) | — | — | Very hard |
| Nickelhighest measured · range 1.77 to 3.52 · Little Falls plant · 2025 report, page 6 | 3.52 ppb | None set | None | No health limit |
| PFBS (a PFAS)highest measured · range ND to 3.5 · Little Falls plant · 2025 report, page 7 | 3.5 ppt | None set | None | No health limit |
| PFHpA (a PFAS)highest measured · range ND to 3.1 · Little Falls plant · 2025 report, page 7 | 3.1 ppt | None set | None | No health limit |
| PFHxA (a PFAS)highest measured · range 3.1 to 7.5 · Little Falls plant · 2025 report, page 7 | 7.5 ppt | None set | None | No health limit |
| Sodiumhighest measured · range 49.3 to 139 · Little Falls plant · 2025 report, page 7 | 139 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.
EPA testing for PFAS and lithium
EPA’s own nationwide testing (UCMR 5) found these in Passaic Valley Water Commission’s water between Mar 2024 and Dec 2024. These are EPA lab results, separate from the district’s report. Anything not listed was not detected.
- PFOA11.5 pptFound in 4 of 4 samples · highest resultAbove the federal limit that takes effect in 2029 (4 ppt)
- PFOS7.7 pptFound in 3 of 4 samples · highest resultAbove the federal limit that takes effect in 2029 (4 ppt)
- PFHxS3.2 pptFound in 2 of 4 samples · highest resultNo federal limit in force for this one
- PFBS3.9 pptFound in 3 of 4 samples · highest resultNo federal limit in force for this one
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.
PFAS ("forever chemicals")
Found: PFOA (a PFAS), PFOS (a PFAS), PFOA (EPA testing), PFOS (EPA testing)
What removes it: Reverse osmosis.
Salty taste / high TDS
Found: Total dissolved solids
What removes it: Reverse osmosis.
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