'Forever Chemicals' Found In Nearly All Of Tested NJ Water, New Survey Says

A potentially harmful chemical that takes centuries to break down was found in a vast majority of the Garden State's water supplies, according to a new report.

A recent analysis of federal, state, and non-profit water testing data between 2022 and 2024 shows that Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) were found in 91 percent of 86 tested New Jersey sites.

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The 86 samples were collected along the Raritan River watershed, including the North Branch of the Raritan River near Raritan, the Millstone River at Blackwells Mills and the Lamington River at Burnt Mills, the report says. It adds that PFAS were found at every monitoring location in the available sampling data, upstream of the drinking water intake in Bridgewater, Somerset County.

Around 83 percent of 1,602 locations tested across 40 states tested positive for PFAS in the report. A separate study earlier this year found that New Jersey ranked second-worst in drinking water quality in the nation, according to the nonprofit PFAS Water Experts.

"The Highlands is the source of water for all of northern New Jersey's major river systems, including the Raritan, the Passaic, the Delaware, and the Wallkill", said Elliott Ruga, Policy and Communications Director at the New Jersey Highlands Coalition. "We now know that PFAS are detected in 15 of the 16 sample sites in the Highlands—in the headwaters and source tributaries of these major river systems, which combine with the PFAS introduced at an untold number of sites as these rivers widen, flowing past dozens of water supply intakes. We must act now to stop the manufacture of these chemicals, and we must prevent them from entering our waterways."

PFAS are used by companies to create a myriad of products, including nonstick cookware, fast food packaging, fire extinguisher fluid, and waterproof clothing. Due to their integral role in the economy and their, for all intents and purposes, immortal shelf life, PFAS are rampant in our waters, our fish, and potentially our bodies, studies show.

While there is still much studying to be done on the effects of PFAS, experts say prolonged exposure to the chemicals can cause many health issues, including several types of cancer, reproductive problems, developmental delays in children, and a weakened immune system.

New Jersey lawmakers have already taken steps to limit PFAS in the state's water supply, passing the Protecting Against Forever Chemicals Act in 2025. The bill aims to restrict the sale of certain products containing PFAS, require labeling of cookware containing the chemicals, and fund research, testing, and programs to reduce PFAS contamination in the state's air, water, and soil.

Additionally, in 2018, New Jersey became the first state to set enforceable standards for getting PFAS out of drinking water, laying the groundwork for federal action to better regulate the chemicals.

However, conventional wastewater treatment techniques and technologies are not designed to remove PFAS, according to the NJ Department of Environmental Protection.

Still, advocates say more needs to be done to reduce PFAS and their exposure to our water, wildlife, and residents. Specifically, advocates say officials need to phase out the use of PFAS and replace them with safer alternatives, ban industrial facilities from dumping PFAS in waterways, and end the application of PFAS-laden sewage sludge or residual fertilizer on farmland.

​"We need action on both the federal and state level to turn off the tap on PFAS pollution," said Doug O'Malley, State Director for Environment New Jersey Research & Policy Center. "New Jersey was a leader in regulating PFAS pollution in our drinking water, but we need Gov. Sherrill's Administration to move forward on protections drafted by NJDEP to reduce PFAS pollution discharged into our state's waterways. It's time to follow the science and reduce PFAS pollution before it enters our waterways."