Atlantic City, NJ Water Quality Report
Is Atlantic City tap water safe? See PFAS and lead contamination levels for Atlantic City, New Jersey. Compare to EPA limits and get filter recommendations.
Quick Answers
Is Atlantic City, NJ tap water safe to drink? Atlantic City, NJ water has high PFAS contamination. EPA UCMR5 testing detected a peak level of 94 ppt, significantly above the EPA's 4 ppt enforceable limit. A reverse osmosis or certified PFAS filter is strongly recommended.
What contaminants are in Atlantic City, NJ water? Top PFAS compounds detected in Atlantic City water: PFHxS (94 ppt), PFOS (48 ppt), PFOA (43 ppt). See the full table for all monitored contaminants and comparison to EPA limits.
What filter should I use in Atlantic City, NJ? An NSF/ANSI 58 reverse osmosis system is the strongest option, removing 90%+ of PFAS along with lead and arsenic. For renters or smaller households in Atlantic City, a pitcher certified to NSF-53 for PFAS (ZeroWater, PUR PLUS) is a practical alternative. Ordinary Brita cartridges are not certified for PFAS.
Atlantic City, NJ Water Quality Summary
EPA testing has detected PFAS "forever chemicals" in Atlantic City, NJ drinking water. Recent monitoring found a peak level of 94 ppt across 2 water systems, representing an average of 17.07 ppt across 6 detected compounds. These levels come from individual EPA UCMR 5 water samples (2023-2025). The EPA's 4 ppt limit for PFOA and PFOS is enforced on a running annual average, so a sample above it shows real exposure but is not by itself a violation.
Contamination Level: HIGH – High contamination – multiple PFAS compounds detected at levels significantly above EPA safety thresholds.
Top Detected Compounds
- PFHxS: 94 ppt (exceeds EPA 4 ppt limit for PFOA/PFOS)
- PFOS: 48 ppt (exceeds EPA 4 ppt limit for PFOA/PFOS)
- PFOA: 43 ppt (exceeds EPA 4 ppt limit for PFOA/PFOS)
- PFHpA: 11 ppt (exceeds EPA 4 ppt limit for PFOA/PFOS)
- PFPeA: 5.7 ppt (exceeds EPA 4 ppt limit for PFOA/PFOS)
Lead in Atlantic City, NJ Water
EPA Lead and Copper Rule testing has recorded 68 lead samples for Atlantic City water systems, with a 90th-percentile high of 0.438 mg/L (above the EPA 0.015 mg/L action level). There is no safe level of lead for children; if your home was built before 1986, a certified NSF/ANSI 53 lead-removal filter is recommended.
EPA Violations in Atlantic City, NJ
Atlantic City public water systems have 5 health-based EPA Safe Drinking Water Act violations on record, including Interim Enhanced Surface Water Treatment Rule, Lead and Copper Rule, Surface Water Treatment Rule. Health-based violations mean a contaminant exceeded its federal limit or required treatment was not applied.
About the Data
The numbers on this page are drawn from EPA UCMR5 monitoring (2023-2025), which covers about 10,000 public water systems nationwide, including those serving Atlantic City, NJ's approximately 37,743 residents.
ZIP Codes Served
What Atlantic City, New Jersey Residents Should Do
- Enter your exact ZIP code at knowyourexposure.com for address-level data
- Install an NSF/ANSI 58 reverse osmosis filter (removes 94-99% of PFAS)
- If you're in a high-exposure group (pregnant, young children), consider a PFAS home test kit
- Review the Consumer Confidence Report (CCR) your New Jersey utility publishes annually