Is Kearny, NJ tap water safe?
Data: U.S. EPA · How we read the data · How we check it
Summary
No federal limits exceeded in EPA data for Kearny Water Department. 1 PFAS were detected below the limits.
Kearny Water Department supplies Kearny (41,664 people).
Water system
Kearny Water Department
41,664 people · Purchased surface water · EPA ID NJ0907001
Buys treated water from N.J.D.W.S.C. – Wanaque North Water System.
| PFAS | Highest average | Limit |
|---|---|---|
| PFOA One sample above limit | – | 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.
Lead: 3.28 ppb at the 90th percentile (Jun 2026, and 9 in 10 homes sampled were at or below it) Below action level
Health-based violations since 2016: 1
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.
Kearny homes and lead pipes
Lead service lines and lead solder were allowed until 1986, so homes from before then are the ones to check. 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 Kearny town (tables B25034, B25003). Estimates for small places have a margin of error.
How nearby cities compare
| City | PFAS | Lead (90th pct.) |
|---|---|---|
| Newark 3 mi Newark Water Department | Above limit | 4.03 ppb |
| Belleville 3 mi Newark Water Department | Above limit | 4.03 ppb |
| Jersey City 4 mi Jersey City Municipal Utilities Authority | Above limit | 7.78 ppb |
| East Orange 5 mi Newark Water Department | Above limit | 4.03 ppb |
| Hoboken 5 mi Hoboken Water Utility | None above limits | 5.76 ppb |
| Nutley 5 mi Nutley Water Dept | None above limits | 0.55 ppb |
Kearny ZIP codes (1)
- 07032
Questions
Is Kearny tap water safe to drink?
Kearny Water Department had 1 health-based violation since 2016. 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 Kearny, NJ?
Kearny Water Department, which serves 41,664 people.
Does Kearny tap water have PFAS?
Kearny Water Department had 1 PFAS detected at least once in EPA's 2023–2025 testing, all with averages below the federal limits.
Do Kearny homes have lead pipes?
Census estimates put 80% of Kearny 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. Kearny 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.