Cherry Hill, NJ Water Quality (ZIP 08002)
EPA-tested PFAS, lead, and regulated contaminants for ZIP 08002 in Cherry Hill, NJ, served by NJ AMERICAN WATER - WESTERN.
Quick Answers
Is ZIP 08002 tap water safe to drink? PFAS compounds have been detected in 08002's water at an average of 5.89 ppt across 6 compounds. A certified pitcher filter or reverse osmosis system is recommended, especially for sensitive populations.
What filter should I use in 08002? A reverse osmosis system (NSF/ANSI 58) removes 90%+ of PFAS, lead, and arsenic. For smaller households, a pitcher certified to NSF-53 for PFAS (ZeroWater, PUR PLUS) works. Standard Brita cartridges are not certified for PFAS.
ZIP 08002 Water Quality Summary
EPA testing has detected PFAS "forever chemicals" in the water systems serving ZIP 08002 (Cherry Hill, NJ). Monitoring found a peak of 12 ppt across 2 systems, averaging 5.89 ppt over 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: LOW – Low contamination – PFAS detected but at lower levels; monitoring continues.
Top Detected Compounds in ZIP 08002
- PFOA: 12 ppt (exceeds the EPA 4 ppt limit)
- PFPEA: 9 ppt (exceeds the EPA 4 ppt limit)
- PFOS: 8.2 ppt (exceeds the EPA 4 ppt limit)
- PFHXA: 6.3 ppt (exceeds the EPA 4 ppt limit)
- PFHXS: 4.6 ppt
Lead in ZIP 08002 Water
EPA Lead and Copper Rule testing recorded 18 lead samples for the systems serving 08002, with a 90th-percentile high of 0.004 mg/L (within the EPA 0.015 mg/L action level). There is no safe level of lead for children; homes built before 1986 should use a certified NSF/ANSI 53 lead filter.
About the Data
Source: EPA UCMR5 monitoring (2023-2025), Lead and Copper Rule samples, and SDWIS violation records tied to the water system that serves 08002 in Cherry Hill, NJ.
Beyond water: other exposures in Cherry Hill, NJ
Drinking water is one exposure route. These are the other federal datasets that cover ZIP 08002 and Camden County, NJ.
Radon risk in Camden County, NJ
The EPA places Camden County, NJ in Zone 2 - a moderate-risk category, with a predicted average indoor radon level between 2 and 4 pCi/L. Zone maps predict the radon potential of an area from geology and existing indoor readings - they do not describe any individual home. Radon is the leading cause of lung cancer among people who have never smoked, and the only way to know your own level is a test kit.
Lead paint risk in Camden County, NJ
Census figures show 72% of homes in Camden County, NJ were built before 1980, and 24% before 1950. Lead-based paint was banned for residential use in 1978, so older housing stock is the strongest available proxy for lead-paint exposure. This is a statistic about the county's housing, not a test of any particular property - if your home predates 1980, a lead swab test is the way to check.
Air quality in Camden County, NJ
Modelled annual fine-particle pollution (PM2.5) for Camden County, NJ averages 7.8 µg/m³, within the EPA's annual PM2.5 standard of 9 µg/m³. PM2.5 is the pollution fraction small enough to reach deep into the lungs. These are CDC modelled estimates for the county as a whole, not a reading taken at this ZIP code.
Superfund sites near 08002
There are 3 EPA Superfund (National Priorities List) sites within about five miles of 08002: Puchack Well Field (about 3.3 miles); Swope Oil & Chemical Co. (about 3.9 miles); Franklin Slag Pile (MDC) (about 4.6 miles). Distances are measured from the ZIP code's geographic centre, so the distance from a specific address will differ. Proximity to a listed site is a fact about location - it is not itself evidence of exposure.
Industrial releases near 08002
EPA Toxics Release Inventory data for 2023 records 6 reporting facilities within about five miles of 08002, together reporting roughly 76,416 pounds of on-site chemical releases that year. TRI covers facilities above federal reporting thresholds, so smaller sources are not included, and a reported release is not the same as a measured concentration in air or water.