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Community Water System · PWS NJ0217001

Fair Lawn Water Dept

Fair Lawn Boro, New Jersey 07410 - drinking water served from surface water sources to 34,947 people, tracked in EPA SDWIS and UCMR5.

34,947
People served
257
EPA violations
16
Health-based
7 PFAS
UCMR5 result

The verdict

EPA records 257 drinking-water violations at Fair Lawn Water Dept, 6% of them health-based - above the New Jersey per-system average, and UCMR5 testing detected 7 PFAS compounds.

257
Total EPA violations on record
6%
Health-based (MCL / treatment failure)
34,947
People served by this system
7
PFAS compounds detected (UCMR5)

Water Quality Snapshot: Fair Lawn Water Dept

Fair Lawn Water Dept is a local-owned community water system that delivers drinking water to 34,947 residents in Fair Lawn Boro, New Jersey (Bergen County) through 11,000 service connections. Its water is drawn from surface water sources. EPA's Safe Drinking Water Information System records 257 total violations for this system , of which 16 (6%) are health-based, meaning a contaminant exceeded an EPA Maximum Contaminant Level or a required treatment technique failed. A further 231 monitoring and reporting violations are on file. The most recent violation on record dates to 2025.

The most frequently cited contaminant at this system is Lead and Copper Rule, recorded in 13 violations (MR). Under EPA's UCMR5 PFAS monitoring program, 7 PFAS compounds were detected in samples collected from this system, with a maximum reported concentration of 13 ppt (parts per trillion). PFAS are persistent synthetic chemicals linked to health effects at very low exposure levels.

Across New Jersey, EPA tracks 3,428 public water systems serving 9,570,926 people, with 204,988 cumulative violations and 22,229 health-based violations on record. About 95% of systems in the state carry at least one violation, and state-wide the average per system is 59.8 violations. Statewide, 208 of 264 UCMR5-tested systems have reported PFAS detections (78.8%).

Fair Lawn Water Dept's 257 violations sit above the New Jersey average.

All figures above are sourced directly from EPA SDWIS and UCMR5 public data releases and are updated as EPA publishes new reporting cycles.

PFAS Detected

7 PFAS "forever chemicals" detected in testing under EPA's UCMR5 monitoring program.

Population Served
34,947
Total Violations
257
Health-Based Violations
16
Water Source
Surface Water

System Details

System Type
Community
Owner Type
Local
Connections
11,000
County
Bergen
School/Daycare
No
MCL Violations
12
Monitoring Violations
231
Treatment Tech Violations
4

Violation History

Contaminant violations recorded by EPA.

Contaminant Category Count Latest
Lead and Copper Rule MR 13 2023
Toluene MR 9 2016
Ethylbenzene MR 9 2016
1,2,4-Trichlorobenzene MR 9 2016
cis-1,2-Dichloroethylene MR 9 2016
Xylenes, Total MR 9 2016
1,1-Dichloroethylene MR 9 2016
1,1,1-Trichloroethane MR 9 2016
1,2-Dichloropropane MR 9 2016
Trichloroethylene MR 9 2016
Styrene MR 9 2016
DICHLOROMETHANE MR 9 2016
o-Dichlorobenzene MR 9 2016
Vinyl chloride MR 9 2016
1,2-Dichloroethane MR 9 2016
Carbon tetrachloride MR 9 2016
1,1,2-Trichloroethane MR 9 2016
Tetrachloroethylene MR 9 2016
Benzene MR 9 2016
p-Dichlorobenzene MR 9 2016
trans-1,2-Dichloroethylene MR 9 2016
CHLOROBENZENE MR 9 2016
Coliform (TCR) MCL 8 2015
Groundwater Rule MR 6 2016
Total Haloacetic Acids (HAA5) MR 5 2012
TTHM MR 5 2012
Nitrate MR 4 2022
Tetrachloroethylene MCL 4 2011
Lead and Copper Rule TT 3 2024
Consumer Confidence Rule Other 2 2011

PFAS Testing Results (UCMR5)

Results from EPA's Fifth Unregulated Contaminant Monitoring Rule. 35 of 290 samples detected PFAS.

Contaminant Date Result MRL Status
6:2 FTS 9/10/2024 <5.00 ppt 5.00 ppt Not Detected
8:2 FTS 9/10/2024 <5.00 ppt 5.00 ppt Not Detected
PFMPA 9/10/2024 <4.00 ppt 4.00 ppt Not Detected
PFPeA 9/10/2024 5.20 ppt 3.00 ppt Detected
PFMBA 9/10/2024 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
PFEESA 9/10/2024 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
NFDHA 9/10/2024 <20.00 ppt 20.00 ppt Not Detected
PFHpS 9/10/2024 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
PFBA 9/10/2024 <5.00 ppt 5.00 ppt Not Detected
PFPeS 9/10/2024 <4.00 ppt 4.00 ppt Not Detected
PFHxS 9/10/2024 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
4:2 FTS 9/10/2024 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
HFPO-DA 9/10/2024 <5.00 ppt 5.00 ppt Not Detected
PFHpA 9/10/2024 3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Detected
PFNA 9/10/2024 <4.00 ppt 4.00 ppt Not Detected
PFOS 9/10/2024 <4.00 ppt 4.00 ppt Not Detected
PFOA 9/10/2024 12.00 ppt 4.00 ppt Detected
9Cl-PF3ONS 9/10/2024 <2.00 ppt 2.00 ppt Not Detected
PFDoA 9/10/2024 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
PFHxA 9/10/2024 5.10 ppt 3.00 ppt Detected
PFUnA 9/10/2024 <2.00 ppt 2.00 ppt Not Detected
11Cl-PF3OUdS 9/10/2024 <5.00 ppt 5.00 ppt Not Detected
PFDA 9/10/2024 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
PFBS 9/10/2024 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
ADONA 9/10/2024 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
PFNA 9/10/2024 <4.00 ppt 4.00 ppt Not Detected
PFHxA 9/10/2024 8.30 ppt 3.00 ppt Detected
PFDoA 9/10/2024 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
PFDA 9/10/2024 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
PFOA 9/10/2024 12.00 ppt 4.00 ppt Detected
PFOS 9/10/2024 5.50 ppt 4.00 ppt Detected
HFPO-DA 9/10/2024 <5.00 ppt 5.00 ppt Not Detected
PFHxS 9/10/2024 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
PFHpA 9/10/2024 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
PFHpS 9/10/2024 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
PFUnA 9/10/2024 <2.00 ppt 2.00 ppt Not Detected
9Cl-PF3ONS 9/10/2024 <2.00 ppt 2.00 ppt Not Detected
ADONA 9/10/2024 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
6:2 FTS 9/10/2024 <5.00 ppt 5.00 ppt Not Detected
4:2 FTS 9/10/2024 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
8:2 FTS 9/10/2024 <5.00 ppt 5.00 ppt Not Detected
PFMPA 9/10/2024 <4.00 ppt 4.00 ppt Not Detected
PFPeA 9/10/2024 10.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Detected
PFMBA 9/10/2024 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
PFEESA 9/10/2024 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
NFDHA 9/10/2024 <20.00 ppt 20.00 ppt Not Detected
PFPeS 9/10/2024 <4.00 ppt 4.00 ppt Not Detected
PFBS 9/10/2024 3.10 ppt 3.00 ppt Detected
11Cl-PF3OUdS 9/10/2024 <5.00 ppt 5.00 ppt Not Detected
PFBA 9/10/2024 <5.00 ppt 5.00 ppt Not Detected

Verify This Water System

The figures above are aggregated from EPA's public databases. To verify the underlying records, or to file a complaint, request a Consumer Confidence Report, or check current monitoring status, go directly to the federal and state regulators that enforce the Safe Drinking Water Act for Fair Lawn Water Dept.

Federal Source of Truth

EPA SDWIS, Federal Reports

EPA's Safe Drinking Water Information System (SDWIS) holds the federal compliance record for every regulated public water system. Open the system-level report by PWS ID:

View PWS ID NJ0217001 on SDWIS

Source: EPA SDWIS Federal Reports Search

State Regulator

New Jersey Drinking Water Authority

NJ DEP, Bureau of Safe Drinking Water is the primacy agency that licenses and inspects Fair Lawn Water Dept under EPA-delegated authority.

Open NJ regulator portal

Source: NJ DEP, Bureau of Safe Drinking Water

Violation Timeline

Each row links to the EPA SDWIS public record for verification. Cross-reference the contaminant code on EPA's federal report to see violation dates, return-to-compliance status, and enforcement actions.

Year (latest) Contaminant Category Count EPA Record
2025 Surface Water Treatment Rule TT 1 SDWIS / NJ0217001 / 0200
2024 Lead and Copper Rule TT 3 SDWIS / NJ0217001 / 5000
2023 Lead and Copper Rule MR 13 SDWIS / NJ0217001 / 5000
2022 Nitrate MR 4 SDWIS / NJ0217001 / 1040
2017 Surface Water Treatment Rule MR 2 SDWIS / NJ0217001 / 0200
2016 Toluene MR 9 SDWIS / NJ0217001 / 2991
2016 Ethylbenzene MR 9 SDWIS / NJ0217001 / 2992
2016 1,2,4-Trichlorobenzene MR 9 SDWIS / NJ0217001 / 2378
2016 cis-1,2-Dichloroethylene MR 9 SDWIS / NJ0217001 / 2380
2016 Xylenes, Total MR 9 SDWIS / NJ0217001 / 2955
2016 1,1-Dichloroethylene MR 9 SDWIS / NJ0217001 / 2977
2016 1,1,1-Trichloroethane MR 9 SDWIS / NJ0217001 / 2981
2016 1,2-Dichloropropane MR 9 SDWIS / NJ0217001 / 2983
2016 Trichloroethylene MR 9 SDWIS / NJ0217001 / 2984
2016 Styrene MR 9 SDWIS / NJ0217001 / 2996

How Fair Lawn Water Dept Compares

Cross-reference this system's record against state averages and the federal MCL framework for context.

Metric Fair Lawn Water Dept New Jersey avg Federal benchmark
Total violations 257 59.8 SDWA compliance, any non-zero count is a recorded breach
Health-based violations 16 6.5 Indicates a contaminant exceeded a federal MCL
PFAS detection 7 compounds 78.8% EPA final rule (2024): PFOA/PFOS MCL = 4.0 ppt
Population served 34,947 2,792 Sizing context for compliance burden

Sources: EPA SDWIS and EPA National Primary Drinking Water Regulations (40 CFR Part 141). State averages computed across 3,428 regulated public water systems in New Jersey.

Federal MCL reference, Safe Drinking Water Act thresholds
Contaminant Federal MCL / Action Level Note
Lead 0 mg/L (Action Level: 0.015 mg/L) Lead and Copper Rule treatment technique
Arsenic 0.010 mg/L (10 ppb) Health-based MCL since 2006
Total Coliform Treatment technique (RTCR) Indicator organism, monitoring trigger
PFOA / PFOS (PFAS) 4.0 ppt each (final 2024 rule) Compliance deadline 2029 (EPA proposed extending to 2031, not yet final as of May 2026)
Nitrate (as N) 10 mg/L Acute health risk for infants

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Fair Lawn Water Dept water safe to drink?
Fair Lawn Water Dept (PWS ID: NJ0217001) has 257 recorded violations in the EPA SDWIS database. PFAS contamination has been detected in UCMR5 testing, with 7 PFAS compounds found. This system serves 34,947 people using Surface Water sources.
How many people does Fair Lawn Water Dept serve?
Fair Lawn Water Dept serves 34,947 people in Fair Lawn Boro, New Jersey. It is a Local-owned system using Surface Water water sources with 11,000 service connections.
What type of violations does Fair Lawn Water Dept have?
Fair Lawn Water Dept has 257 total violations: 16 health-based violations (MCL exceedances or treatment failures), 231 monitoring/reporting violations, and 4 treatment technique violations. Health-based violations indicate contaminant levels exceeded EPA safe limits.
Has PFAS been detected in Fair Lawn Water Dept water?
Yes. UCMR5 testing detected 7 PFAS compounds in Fair Lawn Water Dept's water supply: PFPeA, PFHpA, PFOA, PFHxA, PFOS, and others. PFAS are persistent "forever chemicals" that do not break down in the environment.
What water source does Fair Lawn Water Dept use?
Fair Lawn Water Dept uses Surface Water as its primary water source. It is classified as a Community Water System (CWS), serving residential populations year-round.
Where does this data come from?
All data comes from the EPA Safe Drinking Water Information System (SDWIS) and the UCMR5 PFAS monitoring program. SDWIS tracks compliance for all public water systems regulated under the Safe Drinking Water Act.
Data Sources: EPA Safe Drinking Water Information System (SDWIS), Q4 2025. PFAS data from EPA UCMR5 monitoring program (2023-2025). This data is provided for informational purposes only.
Data sourced from EPA SDWIS and UCMR5 PFAS monitoring data. See our methodology for details. Retrieved and formatted by PlainWater Editorial

Every figure on PlainWater is rendered directly from EPA SDWIS drinking-water data, no number is typed in by an editor. This system's figures are rendered directly from EPA SDWIS data, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.