What New Jersey residents can do today to understand, reduce, and respond to PFAS exposure
How to Find PFAS in Your Drinking Water?
What to Do If PFAS Are Detected in Your Drinking Water?
Above New Jersey MCLs:
Take immediate steps until your water system implements treatment:
- Use bottled water for drinking and cooking
- Install an NSF-certified home filter (GAC, RO, or ion exchange)
- Follow water utility updates
- Contact local officials
Below MCLs but detected:
PFAS exposure still accumulates over time. Consider:
- Installing a home filter
- Reducing PFAS from consumer products
- Checking water system status during treatment upgrades
Home Water Filters: What Works
PFAS cannot be removed by boiling or standard refrigerator filters. Effective Technologies:
- Granular Activated Carbon (GAC)
- Reverse Osmosis (RO)
- Ion Exchange Resins
Look for: NSF/ANSI Standard 53 or 58. (Some products now list PFAS reduction specifically)
Important Notes
Filters are not guaranteed to reduce PFAS to NJ’s low MCLs
Replace cartridges regularly
Some systems require professional installation.
Community Action: How You Can Make an Impact
Write to Your Local Officials
Residents can advocate for:
- PFAS cleanup funds
- Infrastructure upgrades
- Transparent reporting
- Stricter pollution controls
- Environmental justice protections
Stay Informed
Sign up for updates from:
- NJDEP
- EPA PFAS Program
- Local water utility newsletters
- NGOs (EWG, NRDC)
Participate in Public Meetings & Comment Periods
EPA and NJDEP frequently:
- Hold town halls
- Propose rules and invite public comments
- Accept community testimony
Stakeholders: Who Is Responsible?
Understanding responsibility helps residents know where to take action.
Polluters
Industrial facilities, landfills, manufacturers, and airports that released PFAS.
Water Utilities
Responsible for monitoring, reporting, and treating water.
Regulators
NJDEP (state-level standards and enforcement)
EPA (national standards)
The Public
Residents can demand transparency, vote, advocate, and educate others.
Official New Jersey PFAS Resources
- NJDEP PFAS
- Drinking Water: https://dep.nj.gov/pfas/drinking-water/
- Site Remediation Program
- New Jersey Drinking Water Quality Institute
- NJDEP’s Drinking Water Watch website.Your public water utility will monitor and report these levels on a regular basis. Water results are available on NJDEP’s Drinking Water Watch website:
U.S. Federal Resources (EPA & FDA)
- Final PFAS National Primary Drinking Regulation
- EPA’s Webpage for Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS)
- Drinking Water Health Advisories for PFOA and PFOS
- Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS) | FDA
