Cape May County, New Jersey: drinking water report. Cape May County occupies the southern tip of New Jersey, with about 95,000 year-round residents that…
Cape May County occupies the southern tip of New Jersey, with about 95,000 year-round residents that swell to 500,000 during summer tourism season. Communities rely entirely on groundwater from the Kirkwood-Cohansey and deeper confined aquifers. The seasonal population surge puts enormous demand on water infrastructure – treatment plants that cruise through winter must operate at maximum capacity from June through September.
Saltwater intrusion is the defining water quality challenge in Cape May County. According to the NJDEP's 2024 groundwater monitoring report, chloride concentrations in the shallow aquifer have increased by 15% over the past decade in the barrier island communities. Heavy summer pumping draws the freshwater-saltwater interface landward, and several production wells in Wildwood and Cape May City have been abandoned due to elevated chloride.
PFAS compounds have also been detected in Cape May County's water supply. The Coast Guard Training Center Cape May, the service's primary recruit training facility, has documented AFFF use. NJDEP's 2024 PFAS investigation found PFOS at 19 ppt in monitoring wells near the base – above New Jersey's 13 ppt standard.
Cape May County faces a unique combination of saltwater intrusion pressure, seasonal demand spikes, and military PFAS contamination. If your water tastes saltier in summer, that is not your imagination – it reflects the aquifer stress from peak pumping.
Check your water for current data at your address. For elevated chloride and PFAS, reverse osmosis handles both effectively. Our water filter guide covers systems designed for coastal groundwater. Pull your detailed report for seasonal patterns, and visit our New Jersey page for statewide data.