Is North Bergen, NJ tap water safe?
Data: U.S. EPA · How we read the data · How we check it
Summary
Veolia Water New Jersey Hackensack had PFAS above the 2024 federal limits (PFOA, PFOS) 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.
Veolia Water New Jersey Hackensack supplies North Bergen (792,713 people).
Water system
Veolia Water New Jersey Hackensack
792,713 people · Surface water · EPA ID NJ0238001
Buys treated water from N.J.D.W.S.C. – Wanaque North Water System, Jersey City Municipal Utilities Authority, Hoboken Water Utility, Passaic Valley Water Commission.
| PFAS | Highest average | Limit |
|---|---|---|
| PFOA Above limit | 13 ppt | 4 ppt |
| PFOS Above limit | 6.3 ppt | 4 ppt |
| PFHxS Detected, below limit | 3.9 ppt | 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 93% of the New Jersey systems EPA tested and the PFOS average is higher than at 87% of the New Jersey systems EPA tested.
Lead: 5.8 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: 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.
North Bergen 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 North Bergen township (tables B25034, B25003). Estimates for small places have a margin of error.
How nearby cities compare
| City | PFAS | Lead (90th pct.) |
|---|---|---|
| West New York 1 mi Veolia Water New Jersey Hackensack | Above limit | 5.8 ppb |
| Cliffside Park 3 mi Veolia Water New Jersey Hackensack | Above limit | 5.8 ppb |
| Hoboken 3 mi Hoboken Water Utility | None above limits | 5.76 ppb |
| Fort Lee 5 mi Veolia Water New Jersey Hackensack | Above limit | 5.8 ppb |
| Kearny 6 mi Kearny Water Department | None above limits | 3.28 ppb |
| Jersey City 6 mi Jersey City Municipal Utilities Authority | Above limit | 7.78 ppb |
North Bergen ZIP codes (1)
- 07047
Questions
Is North Bergen tap water safe to drink?
Veolia Water New Jersey Hackensack had 1 health-based violation 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 North Bergen, NJ?
Veolia Water New Jersey Hackensack, which serves 792,713 people.
Does North Bergen tap water have PFAS?
Yes. EPA's 2023–2025 testing found entry-point averages above the 2024 federal limits for PFOA and PFOS at Veolia Water New Jersey Hackensack. Systems have until 2029 to meet them.
Do North Bergen homes have lead pipes?
Census estimates put 75% of North Bergen 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. Veolia Water New Jersey Hackensack'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.