Is Irvington, NJ tap water safe?
Data: U.S. EPA · How we read the data · How we check it
Summary
Newark Water Department, the largest system here, had PFAS above the 2024 federal limits (PFOA) in EPA's 2023–2025 testing.
Is it an emergency? No: PFAS limits are about years of exposure, not a glass of water, and nothing in EPA's data calls for you to stop drinking the water today. If your utility issues a boil-water or do-not-drink notice, follow it.
2 public water systems serve parts of Irvington. The largest, Newark Water Department, serves 294,274 people, and 2 systems here had PFAS above a federal limit. Your water bill names your system.
Largest system
Newark Water Department
294,274 people · Surface water · EPA ID NJ0714001
Buys treated water from Belleville Water Dept, N.J.D.W.S.C. – Wanaque North Water System.
| PFAS | Highest average | Limit |
|---|---|---|
| PFOA Above limit | 4.8 ppt | 4 ppt |
| PFOS Not detected | – | 4 ppt |
| PFHxS Not detected | – | 10 ppt |
| PFNA Not detected | – | 10 ppt |
| HFPO-DA (GenX) Not detected | – | 10 ppt |
ppt = parts per trillion. "Highest average" is the highest average at any of the system's entry points, the way EPA compares results with the limits.
For context: the PFOA average is higher than at 57% of the New Jersey systems EPA tested.
Lead: 4.03 ppb at the 90th percentile (Nov 2026, and 9 in 10 homes sampled were at or below it) Below action level
Health-based violations since 2016: 20
Across New Jersey, 110 of 245 water systems EPA tested had PFAS above a 2024 federal limit, and 4 systems were above the lead action level in results from the last five years. New Jersey results.
Irvington homes and lead pipes
Lead service lines and lead solder were allowed until 1986, so homes from before then are the ones to check. Newark Water Department publishes a service line inventory you can search by address. Look up your address. Renting? Ask your landlord what the service line is made of, because it's their pipe to replace. How to check your own line.
Housing: Census American Community Survey 2020–2024 5-year estimates for Irvington township (tables B25034, B25003). Estimates for small places have a margin of error.
Other water systems serving Irvington
How nearby cities compare
| City | PFAS | Lead (90th pct.) |
|---|---|---|
| Maplewood 2 mi New Jersey American Water – Short Hills | Above limit | 3 ppb |
| East Orange 3 mi Newark Water Department | Above limit | 4.03 ppb |
| City of Orange 3 mi Orange Water Dept | Above limit | 2.02 ppb |
| Newark 3 mi Newark Water Department | Above limit | 4.03 ppb |
| Elizabeth 4 mi New Jersey American Water – Raritan | Above limit | 1 ppb |
| Kearny 6 mi Kearny Water Department | None above limits | 3.28 ppb |
Irvington ZIP codes (1)
- 07111
Questions
Is Irvington tap water safe to drink?
Newark Water Department had 20 health-based violations since 2016, and EPA testing found PFAS above the 2024 federal limits, which it must meet by 2029. Utility data can't show lead from your own pipes: if your home was built before 1986, test your tap. Your utility's annual Consumer Confidence Report is the official summary.
Who supplies water in Irvington, NJ?
2 public water systems serve parts of Irvington. The largest is Newark Water Department (294,274 people). Your water bill names your system. The EPA ID is also on your utility's Consumer Confidence Report.
Does Irvington tap water have PFAS?
Yes. EPA's 2023–2025 testing found entry-point averages above the 2024 federal limits for PFOA at Newark Water Department. Systems have until 2029 to meet them.
Do Irvington homes have lead pipes?
Census estimates put 80% of Irvington homes as built before 1980 (New Jersey: 63%). Lead service lines and lead solder were allowed until 1986, so older homes are more likely to have them. Newark Water Department's service line inventory says what your line is made of. The only way to know for your home is to check the line where it enters the house and test your tap.
Source: U.S. EPA drinking water records and PFAS testing (UCMR 5). How we read the data.