Groundwater in Hunterdon County contains arsenic, chloride, iron, lead, manganese, pfoa, pfos, sulfate, radon, and uranium. These contaminants exceed EPA health standards and deserve your attention.
The crystalline rock beneath this county naturally releases arsenic, iron, lead, manganese, and uranium as groundwater moves through cracks and fractures. Radon seeps from radioactive decay within the rock itself. Chloride and sulfate enter from road salt and natural mineral weathering. Industrial chemicals pfoa and pfos contaminate groundwater through land disposal and atmospheric deposition.
Groundwater in this county is hard, driven by calcium and magnesium from the rock minerals. This hardness is widespread across wells in the county. Iron levels are low here despite exceeding health standards, and sulfate concentrations remain modest.
Wells in Hunterdon County commonly contain arsenic, lead, uranium, and radon at levels above EPA health standards. Arsenic and uranium are radioactive elements that can increase cancer risk with long-term exposure. Lead is especially harmful to children and can damage the brain and nervous system. Radon is a radioactive gas that increases the risk of lung cancer when inhaled from water over many years. Pfoa and pfos are industrial chemicals linked to thyroid disease and other health problems.
County wells also contain chloride and sulfate at elevated levels, plus moderate amounts of manganese that affect water quality. Hard water in this county can leave white crusty scale buildup on fixtures and inside pipes, shorten the lifespan of water heaters and dishwashers, and make it harder to get soap to lather. You may notice a metallic taste or odor in your water from these minerals.
We recommend testing your well comprehensively because every well is different and yours could have much higher or lower levels than what is common in the county. Testing is the only way to know what is actually in your water so you can treat it properly. A comprehensive metals and minerals panel costs roughly $200 to $400. Treatment options like aeration systems, activated carbon filters, and reverse osmosis can address multiple contaminants depending on what your test shows.
Not sure if your well is affected? Get certified results in 5–7 days.
Test Your Well Water with Tap Score →| Contaminant | Samples ⓘ | % Above MCL ⓘ | Distribution ⓘ | Confidence ⓘ | Risk ⓘ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PFOA ⓘ municipal | 80 | 50% | Moderate | High | |
| Radon | 57 | 42% | Moderate | High ⓘ | |
| PFOS ⓘ municipal | 80 | 26% | Moderate | High | |
| Manganese | 227 | 26% | High | High | |
| Iron | 227 | 10% | High | Moderate | |
| Arsenic | 177 | 10% | High | Moderate | |
| Sulfate | 228 | 2% | High | Low | |
| Lead | 188 | 2% | High | Low | |
| Chloride | 229 | 1% | High | Low | |
| Uranium | 100 | 1% | High | Low | |
| PFNA ⓘ municipal | 80 | 0% | Moderate | Safe | |
| PFHxS ⓘ municipal | 80 | 0% | Moderate | Low | |
| Fluoride | 173 | 0% | High | Low | |
| HFPO-DA (GenX) ⓘ municipal | 80 | 0% | Moderate | Safe | |
| Nitrite | 186 | 0% | High | Low | |
| Nitrate | 195 | 0% | High | Low | |
| PFBS ⓘ municipal | 79 | — | Moderate | Low | |
| Sodium | 225 | — | High | Low | |
| pH | 290 | — | High | Low | |
| Hardness | 212 | — | High | Low |
MCL = Maximum Contaminant Level (EPA limit for public water; used as benchmark for private wells). Distribution shows % of sampled wells in each concentration band. Methodology.
* Microbial contaminants (E. coli, coliform) reflect only samples from the last 10 years.
Data shows potential risk — a certified test confirms whether your water is affected.
Order a Tap Score Test →Population-level CDC data. Not individual risk prediction.
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