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Community Water System · PWS NJ0703001

Caldwell Water Dept

Nutley, New Jersey 07110 - drinking water served from surface water sources to 9,027 people, tracked in EPA SDWIS and UCMR5.

9,027
People served
82
EPA violations
5
Health-based
6 PFAS
UCMR5 result

The verdict

EPA records 82 drinking-water violations at Caldwell Water Dept, 6% of them health-based - above the New Jersey per-system average, and UCMR5 testing detected 6 PFAS compounds.

82
Total EPA violations on record
6%
Health-based (MCL / treatment failure)
9,027
People served by this system
6
PFAS compounds detected (UCMR5)

Water Quality Snapshot: Caldwell Water Dept

Caldwell Water Dept is a local-owned community water system that delivers drinking water to 9,027 residents in Nutley, New Jersey (Essex County) through 1,917 service connections. Its water is drawn from surface water sources. EPA's Safe Drinking Water Information System records 82 total violations for this system , of which 5 (6%) are health-based, meaning a contaminant exceeded an EPA Maximum Contaminant Level or a required treatment technique failed. A further 51 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 Surface Water Treatment Rule, recorded in 20 violations (MR). Under EPA's UCMR5 PFAS monitoring program, 6 PFAS compounds were detected in samples collected from this system, with a maximum reported concentration of 15.4 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%).

Caldwell Water Dept's 82 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

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

Population Served
9,027
Total Violations
82
Health-Based Violations
5
Water Source
Surface Water

System Details

System Type
Community
Owner Type
Local
Connections
1,917
County
Essex
School/Daycare
No
MCL Violations
5
Monitoring Violations
51
Treatment Tech Violations
0

Violation History

Contaminant violations recorded by EPA.

Contaminant Category Count Latest
Surface Water Treatment Rule MR 20 2024
Chlorine MR 12 2024
Lead and Copper Rule MR 4 2025
Coliform (TCR) MCL 3 2008
Trichloroethylene MCL 2 1989
Consumer Confidence Rule Other 2 2020
Arsenic MR 2 1987
Chromium MR 2 1987
Cadmium MR 2 1987
Mercury MR 2 1987
Selenium MR 2 1987
Fluoride MR 2 1987
Barium MR 2 1987
Public Notice Other 1 2005
Nitrate MR 1 1987

PFAS Testing Results (UCMR5)

Results from EPA's Fifth Unregulated Contaminant Monitoring Rule. 10 of 116 samples detected PFAS.

Contaminant Date Result MRL Status
PFPeS 9/23/2024 <4.00 ppt 4.00 ppt Not Detected
PFNA 9/23/2024 <4.00 ppt 4.00 ppt Not Detected
PFBS 9/23/2024 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
6:2 FTS 9/23/2024 <5.00 ppt 5.00 ppt Not Detected
PFBA 9/23/2024 <5.00 ppt 5.00 ppt Not Detected
HFPO-DA 9/23/2024 <5.00 ppt 5.00 ppt Not Detected
ADONA 9/23/2024 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
PFDA 9/23/2024 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
PFEESA 9/23/2024 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
PFOS 9/23/2024 <4.00 ppt 4.00 ppt Not Detected
NFDHA 9/23/2024 <20.00 ppt 20.00 ppt Not Detected
PFHxS 9/23/2024 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
PFMBA 9/23/2024 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
PFPeA 9/23/2024 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
PFMPA 9/23/2024 <4.00 ppt 4.00 ppt Not Detected
8:2 FTS 9/23/2024 <5.00 ppt 5.00 ppt Not Detected
PFOA 9/23/2024 <4.00 ppt 4.00 ppt Not Detected
11Cl-PF3OUdS 9/23/2024 <5.00 ppt 5.00 ppt Not Detected
4:2 FTS 9/23/2024 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
9Cl-PF3ONS 9/23/2024 <2.00 ppt 2.00 ppt Not Detected
PFUnA 9/23/2024 <2.00 ppt 2.00 ppt Not Detected
PFHxA 9/23/2024 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
PFDoA 9/23/2024 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
PFHpA 9/23/2024 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
PFHpS 9/23/2024 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
NMeFOSAA 8/13/2024 <6.00 ppt 6.00 ppt Not Detected
NEtFOSAA 8/13/2024 <5.00 ppt 5.00 ppt Not Detected
PFTrDA 8/13/2024 <7.00 ppt 7.00 ppt Not Detected
PFTA 8/13/2024 <8.00 ppt 8.00 ppt Not Detected
PFBS 6/17/2024 3.20 ppt 3.00 ppt Detected
9Cl-PF3ONS 6/17/2024 <2.00 ppt 2.00 ppt Not Detected
11Cl-PF3OUdS 6/17/2024 <5.00 ppt 5.00 ppt Not Detected
PFHxA 6/17/2024 4.60 ppt 3.00 ppt Detected
PFDoA 6/17/2024 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
PFDA 6/17/2024 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
PFOA 6/17/2024 15.40 ppt 4.00 ppt Detected
PFOS 6/17/2024 <4.00 ppt 4.00 ppt Not Detected
PFNA 6/17/2024 <4.00 ppt 4.00 ppt Not Detected
PFHxS 6/17/2024 4.80 ppt 3.00 ppt Detected
PFUnA 6/17/2024 <2.00 ppt 2.00 ppt Not Detected
HFPO-DA 6/17/2024 <5.00 ppt 5.00 ppt Not Detected
PFBA 6/17/2024 <5.00 ppt 5.00 ppt Not Detected
6:2 FTS 6/17/2024 <5.00 ppt 5.00 ppt Not Detected
4:2 FTS 6/17/2024 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
8:2 FTS 6/17/2024 <5.00 ppt 5.00 ppt Not Detected
PFMPA 6/17/2024 <4.00 ppt 4.00 ppt Not Detected
ADONA 6/17/2024 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
PFPeA 6/17/2024 4.50 ppt 3.00 ppt Detected
PFMBA 6/17/2024 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
PFEESA 6/17/2024 <3.00 ppt 3.00 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 Caldwell 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 NJ0703001 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 Caldwell 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 Lead and Copper Rule MR 4 SDWIS / NJ0703001 / 5000
2024 Surface Water Treatment Rule MR 20 SDWIS / NJ0703001 / 0200
2024 Chlorine MR 12 SDWIS / NJ0703001 / 0999
2020 Consumer Confidence Rule Other 2 SDWIS / NJ0703001 / 7000
2008 Coliform (TCR) MCL 3 SDWIS / NJ0703001 / 3100
2005 Public Notice Other 1 SDWIS / NJ0703001 / 7500
1989 Trichloroethylene MCL 2 SDWIS / NJ0703001 / 2984
1987 Arsenic MR 2 SDWIS / NJ0703001 / 1005
1987 Chromium MR 2 SDWIS / NJ0703001 / 1020
1987 Cadmium MR 2 SDWIS / NJ0703001 / 1015
1987 Mercury MR 2 SDWIS / NJ0703001 / 1035
1987 Selenium MR 2 SDWIS / NJ0703001 / 1045
1987 Fluoride MR 2 SDWIS / NJ0703001 / 1025
1987 Barium MR 2 SDWIS / NJ0703001 / 1010
1987 Nitrate MR 1 SDWIS / NJ0703001 / 1040

How Caldwell Water Dept Compares

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

Metric Caldwell Water Dept New Jersey avg Federal benchmark
Total violations 82 59.8 SDWA compliance, any non-zero count is a recorded breach
Health-based violations 5 6.5 Indicates a contaminant exceeded a federal MCL
PFAS detection 6 compounds 78.8% EPA final rule (2024): PFOA/PFOS MCL = 4.0 ppt
Population served 9,027 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 Caldwell Water Dept water safe to drink?
Caldwell Water Dept (PWS ID: NJ0703001) has 82 recorded violations in the EPA SDWIS database. PFAS contamination has been detected in UCMR5 testing, with 6 PFAS compounds found. This system serves 9,027 people using Surface Water sources.
How many people does Caldwell Water Dept serve?
Caldwell Water Dept serves 9,027 people in Nutley, New Jersey. It is a Local-owned system using Surface Water water sources with 1,917 service connections.
What type of violations does Caldwell Water Dept have?
Caldwell Water Dept has 82 total violations: 5 health-based violations (MCL exceedances or treatment failures), 51 monitoring/reporting violations, and 0 treatment technique violations. Health-based violations indicate contaminant levels exceeded EPA safe limits.
Has PFAS been detected in Caldwell Water Dept water?
Yes. UCMR5 testing detected 6 PFAS compounds in Caldwell Water Dept's water supply: PFBS, PFHxA, PFOA, PFHxS, PFPeA, and others. PFAS are persistent "forever chemicals" that do not break down in the environment.
What water source does Caldwell Water Dept use?
Caldwell 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.