Atlantic County, New Jersey: drinking water report. Atlantic County on New Jersey's coast has a population of about 275,000, including Atlantic City and…
Atlantic County on New Jersey's coast has a population of about 275,000, including Atlantic City and surrounding communities. The county draws water from the Kirkwood-Cohansey Aquifer, a shallow unconfined aquifer that extends beneath much of the New Jersey Pine Barrens and coastal plain. The William J. Hughes Technical Center (FAA) and the former Naval Air Engineering Station Lakehurst (in adjacent Ocean County) are military and federal facilities that have impacted regional groundwater.
New Jersey has been one of the most aggressive states in the country on PFAS regulation, setting MCLs of 13 ppt for PFOA and 14 ppt for PFOS – stricter than the federal limits. According to the New Jersey DEP's 2024 PFAS monitoring summary, seven public water systems in Atlantic County have detected PFAS above state MCLs, triggering treatment requirements. The Atlantic City International Airport (shared with the FAA Technical Center) has confirmed AFFF use and PFAS contamination.
The Kirkwood-Cohansey Aquifer's shallow, sandy composition makes it highly permeable – contaminants move through it quickly. A 2023 USGS study of the aquifer found that anthropogenic chemicals, including pesticides and volatile organic compounds, were detectable in 60% of wells sampled across the coastal plain, reflecting decades of surface activity percolating downward.
New Jersey's strict PFAS standards mean your water system may already be installing treatment, but household-level filtration adds protection during the transition period.
Check your water for the latest monitoring data. For PFAS, reverse osmosis or granular activated carbon filters certified to NSF P473 are effective. Our water filter guide compares these approaches. Pull your detailed report for historical data, and visit our New Jersey page for statewide context.