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, an NSF-53 certified pitcher (Clearly Filtered, ZeroWater, LifeStraw) 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 13.88 ppt across 6 detected compounds.

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)
  • PFHxA: 0.01 ppt

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 Nitrate, Arsenic. 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 66,000+ public water systems nationwide, including those serving Atlantic City, NJ's approximately 37,743 residents.

ZIP Codes Served

08401, 08403, 08404, 08405

What Atlantic City, New Jersey Residents Should Do

  1. Enter your exact ZIP code at knowyourexposure.com for address-level data
  2. Install an NSF/ANSI 58 reverse osmosis filter (removes 94-99% of PFAS)
  3. If you're in a high-exposure group (pregnant, young children), consider a PFAS home test kit
  4. Review the Consumer Confidence Report (CCR) your New Jersey utility publishes annually