1,4-Dioxane Contamination

1,4-Dioxane in New Jersey Drinking Water

Ranked by max 1,4-dioxane detected (µg/L) · UCMR 3 data (2013–2015) · Data from EPA SDWIS & UCMR

221

Cities Tested

Over HA

45%

% Over HA

0.48 µg/L

State Avg

▲ 10% vs national

vs National

323

Health Violations

Analysis

1,4-Dioxane in New Jersey: what the data shows

New Jersey has 221 cities with 1,4-dioxane data from the EPA's UCMR 3 program (2013–2015). 1,4-Dioxane was detected above the 0.35 µg/L EPA health advisory in 99 of those cities. The state average max detected level is 0.48 µg/L. 1,4-Dioxane is a synthetic industrial chemical used as a solvent stabilizer. It enters water supplies primarily from industrial discharge and contaminated groundwater plumes near manufacturing sites, landfills, and military bases. It is highly mobile in groundwater and resistant to biodegradation. The EPA classifies 1,4-dioxane as a likely human carcinogen. Long-term exposure is associated with liver and kidney damage. Advanced oxidation processes (AOP) are the most effective treatment; conventional water treatment and standard carbon filters are generally ineffective against 1,4-dioxane.

Comparison

Cities exceeding 0.35 µg/L EPA HA (no MCL)

New Jersey

45%

99 of 221 cities

→ ▲ 10% above national rate (worse)

National avg

35%

389 of 1113 cities

City Map

1,4-Dioxane data across New Jersey

Each dot is a city with UCMR 3 1,4-dioxane testing data. Cities where 1,4-dioxane exceeds the 0.35 µg/L EPA health advisory are highlighted. Size reflects population served.

Worst Offenders

Top 10 cities by 1,4-dioxane level in New Jersey

Highest 1,4-Dioxane levels (µg/L)

All Cities

All New Jersey cities ranked by 1,4-dioxane level

#	City	Level	Over HA?	Violations	Grade
1	Washington Boro-2121	5.83 µg/L	Over HA	0	B+
2	Cherry Hill Twp.-0409	5.60 µg/L	Over HA	8	C-
3	Merchantville Boro-0424	5.60 µg/L	Over HA	8	C+
4	Pennsauken Twp.-0427	5.60 µg/L	Over HA	8	C-
5	Camden City-0408	5.60 µg/L	Over HA	25	F
6	Berkeley Twp.-1505	5.40 µg/L	Over HA	2	C+
7	Fair Lawn Boro-0217	3.24 µg/L	Over HA	8	F
8	Sparta Twp.-1918	2.70 µg/L	Over HA	11	F
9	Collingswood Boro-0412	2.40 µg/L	Over HA	4	B+
10	Franklin Twp.-1808	1.51 µg/L	Over HA	16	D+
11	South Brunswick Twp.-1221	1.51 µg/L	Over HA	1	B
12	East Hanover Twp.-1410	1.40 µg/L	Over HA	8	C+
13	Livingston Twp.-0710	1.20 µg/L	Over HA	10	C
14	Gloucester City-0414	1.10 µg/L	Over HA	2	A-
15	Monroe Twp.-1213	1.00 µg/L	Over HA	6	F
16	Elizabeth City- 2004	0.93 µg/L	Over HA	8	C-
17	Woodbury City-0822	0.79 µg/L	Over HA	0	B
18	Garfield City-0221	0.74 µg/L	Over HA	13	B
19	West Caldwell Boro-0721	0.70 µg/L	Over HA	3	C
20	West Deptford Twp.-0820	0.66 µg/L	Over HA	2	B
21	Pennsville Twp.-1708	0.61 µg/L	Over HA	5	C-
22	Chatham Boro-1404	0.60 µg/L	Over HA	5	D+
23	Harding Twp.-1413	0.60 µg/L	Over HA	2	F
24	Mendham Twp.-1419	0.60 µg/L	Over HA	2	D+
25	Hanover Twp.-1412	0.60 µg/L	Over HA	2	C-
26	Morris Plains Boro-1423	0.60 µg/L	Over HA	2	C-
27	Morris Twp.-1422	0.60 µg/L	Over HA	2	D+
28	Morristown Town-1424	0.60 µg/L	Over HA	2	C-
29	Pompton Lakes Boro-1609	0.53 µg/L	Over HA	0	C
30	Phillipsburg Town-2119	0.52 µg/L	Over HA	0	B+
31	Aberdeen Twp-1330	0.50 µg/L	Over HA	22	F
32	Asbury Park City-1303	0.50 µg/L	Over HA	1	B+
33	Bay Head Boro-1502	0.50 µg/L	Over HA	1	B+
34	Bradley Beach Boro-1307	0.50 µg/L	Over HA	1	B+
35	Brick Twp.-1506	0.50 µg/L	Over HA	2	B
36	Eatontown Boro-1311	0.50 µg/L	Over HA	1	B+
37	Fair Haven Boro-1313	0.50 µg/L	Over HA	4	C
38	Holmdel Twp.-1318	0.50 µg/L	Over HA	1	B+
39	Lavalette Boro-1515	0.50 µg/L	Over HA	1	B
40	Little Silver Boro-1323	0.50 µg/L	Over HA	4	C
41	Long Branch City-1325	0.50 µg/L	Over HA	1	B+
42	Middletown Twp.-1331	0.50 µg/L	Over HA	9	C+
43	Neptune City Boro-1335	0.50 µg/L	Over HA	1	B+
44	Neptune Twp.-1334	0.50 µg/L	Over HA	1	B+
45	Ocean Twp.-1337	0.50 µg/L	Over HA	1	B+
46	Oceanport Boro-1338	0.50 µg/L	Over HA	1	B+
47	Red Bank Boro-1340	0.50 µg/L	Over HA	4	C
48	Rumson Boro-1342	0.50 µg/L	Over HA	1	B+
49	Shrewsbury Boro-1345	0.50 µg/L	Over HA	1	B+
50	Tinton Falls-1336	0.50 µg/L	Over HA	1	B+
51	Union Beach Boro-1350	0.50 µg/L	Over HA	1	B+
52	West Long Branch Boro-1353	0.50 µg/L	Over HA	1	B+
53	Toms River-1507	0.50 µg/L	Over HA	13	B
54	Freehold Twp.-1316	0.50 µg/L	Over HA	8	D+
55	Lakewood Twp.-1514	0.50 µg/L	Over HA	3	B-
56	Keansburg Boro-1321	0.50 µg/L	Over HA	6	F
57	Gloucester Twp.-0415	0.47 µg/L	Over HA	1	B-
58	Oakland Boro-0242	0.47 µg/L	Over HA	2	B-
59	Parsippany Troy-Hills-1429	0.46 µg/L	Over HA	5	F
60	Maple Shade Twp.-0319	0.43 µg/L	Over HA	2	C+
61	Point Pleasant Boro-1524	0.41 µg/L	Over HA	2	C-
62	Audubon Boro-0401	0.39 µg/L	Over HA	0	B
63	Audubon Park Boro-0402	0.39 µg/L	Over HA	0	B
64	Barrington Boro-0403	0.39 µg/L	Over HA	0	B
65	Beverly City-0302	0.39 µg/L	Over HA	0	B
66	Cinnaminson Twp.-0308	0.39 µg/L	Over HA	0	B
67	Clementon Boro-0411	0.39 µg/L	Over HA	0	C+
68	Delanco Twp.-0309	0.39 µg/L	Over HA	0	B
69	Delran Twp.-0310	0.39 µg/L	Over HA	0	B
70	Edgewater Park Twp.-0312	0.39 µg/L	Over HA	0	B
71	Gibbsboro Boro-0413	0.39 µg/L	Over HA	0	B
72	Haddon Heights Boro-0418	0.39 µg/L	Over HA	0	B
73	Haddon Twp.-0416	0.39 µg/L	Over HA	0	C+
74	Haddonfield Boro-0417	0.39 µg/L	Over HA	0	B
75	Hi-Nella Boro-0419	0.39 µg/L	Over HA	0	B
76	Laurel Springs Boro-0420	0.39 µg/L	Over HA	0	B
77	Lawnside Boro-0421	0.39 µg/L	Over HA	0	B
78	Lindenwold Boro-0422	0.39 µg/L	Over HA	0	B
79	Magnolia Boro-0423	0.39 µg/L	Over HA	0	B
80	Mount Ephraim Boro-0425	0.39 µg/L	Over HA	0	B
81	Mount Laurel Twp.-0324	0.39 µg/L	Over HA	1	B-
82	Oaklyn Boro-0426	0.39 µg/L	Over HA	0	B
83	Palmyra Boro-0327	0.39 µg/L	Over HA	0	B
84	Riverside Twp.-0330	0.39 µg/L	Over HA	0	B
85	Riverton Boro-0331	0.39 µg/L	Over HA	0	B
86	Runnemede Boro-0430	0.39 µg/L	Over HA	0	B
87	Somerdale Boro-0431	0.39 µg/L	Over HA	0	B
88	Stratford Boro-0432	0.39 µg/L	Over HA	0	B
89	Voorhees Twp.-0434	0.39 µg/L	Over HA	0	B
90	Burlington Twp.-0306	0.39 µg/L	Over HA	0	B-
91	Moorestown Twp.-0322	0.39 µg/L	Over HA	5	F
92	Bellmawr Boro-0404	0.39 µg/L	Over HA	1	B-
93	Absecon City-0101	0.36 µg/L	Over HA	0	A-
94	Galloway Twp-0111	0.36 µg/L	Over HA	9	C-
95	Linwood City-0114	0.36 µg/L	Over HA	0	A-
96	Northfield City-0118	0.36 µg/L	Over HA	0	A-
97	Pleasantville City-0119	0.36 µg/L	Over HA	4	B-
98	Somers Point City-0121	0.36 µg/L	Over HA	0	A-
99	Ramsey Boro-0248	0.36 µg/L	Over HA	56	F
100	Perth Amboy City--1216	0.34 µg/L	No	8	C+
101	East Windsor Twp.-1101	0.32 µg/L	No	1	A-
102	Madison Boro-1417	0.32 µg/L	No	7	B-
103	Willingboro Twp.-0338	0.32 µg/L	No	1	B
104	Woodbridge Twp.-1225	0.27 µg/L	No	1	B
105	Spring Lake Boro-1348	0.26 µg/L	No	0	A-
106	Wall Twp.-1352	0.26 µg/L	No	5	C+
107	South River Boro-1223	0.25 µg/L	No	7	F
108	Little Falls Twp.-1605	0.24 µg/L	No	12	B
109	Hillside Twp.-2007	0.24 µg/L	No	32	C
110	Irvington Town-0709	0.24 µg/L	No	32	C
111	Bedminster Twp.-1801	0.24 µg/L	No	0	B+
112	Belvidere Town-2103	0.24 µg/L	No	0	B+
113	Berkeley Heights Twp.-2001	0.24 µg/L	No	0	B+
114	Bernards Twp.-1802	0.24 µg/L	No	0	B+
115	Bernardsville Boro-1803	0.24 µg/L	No	0	B+
116	Chester Twp.-1407	0.24 µg/L	No	0	B+
117	Far Hills Boro-1807	0.24 µg/L	No	0	B+
118	Franklin Twp.-2105	0.24 µg/L	No	0	B+
119	Frenchtown Boro-1011	0.24 µg/L	No	0	B+
120	Maplewood Twp.-0711	0.24 µg/L	No	0	B+
121	Mendham Boro-1418	0.24 µg/L	No	0	B+
122	Millburn Twp.-0712	0.24 µg/L	No	0	B+
123	Mount Olive Twp.-1427	0.24 µg/L	No	42	F
124	New Providence Boro-2011	0.24 µg/L	No	0	B+
125	Oxford Twp.-2117	0.24 µg/L	No	12	F
126	Springfield Twp.-2017	0.24 µg/L	No	0	B+
127	Summit City-2018	0.24 µg/L	No	0	B+
128	Union Twp-.2019	0.24 µg/L	No	0	B+
129	Warren Twp.-1820	0.24 µg/L	No	0	B+
130	Rockaway Twp.-1435	0.24 µg/L	No	8	F
131	South Orange Village-0719	0.24 µg/L	No	1	B
132	Florham Park Boro-1411	0.24 µg/L	No	0	C-
133	North Caldwell Boro-0715	0.24 µg/L	No	3	B-
134	Lyndhurst Twp-0232	0.23 µg/L	No	2	B+
135	Bordentown City-0303	0.22 µg/L	No	14	B-
136	Bordentown Twp.-0304	0.22 µg/L	No	14	B-
137	Fieldsboro Boro-0314	0.22 µg/L	No	17	C
138	Ridgewood Twp-0251	0.21 µg/L	No	12	D+
139	Mahwah Twp-0233	0.21 µg/L	No	2	C-
140	Manasquan Boro-1327	0.20 µg/L	No	1	B
141	Hillsdale Boro-0227	0.19 µg/L	No	4	D
142	Montvale Boro-0236	0.19 µg/L	No	4	D
143	Woodcliff Lake Boro-0268	0.19 µg/L	No	4	D
144	Rahway City-2013	0.19 µg/L	No	12	B
145	Park Ridge Boro-0247	0.19 µg/L	No	2	C+
146	Saddle River Boro-0258	0.19 µg/L	No	2	C+
147	Orange City-0717	0.16 µg/L	No	5	C+
148	North Arlington Boro-0239	0.16 µg/L	No	7	B+
149	Haledon Boro-1603	0.16 µg/L	No	22	C+
150	Montclair Town-0713	0.14 µg/L	No	1	B
151	Sayreville Boro-1219	0.14 µg/L	No	2	B
152	Vineland City-0614	0.14 µg/L	No	70	F
153	Elmwood Park Boro-0211	0.14 µg/L	No	12	B-
154	Hawthorne Boro-1604	0.14 µg/L	No	3	D+
155	Lodi Boro-0231	0.13 µg/L	No	4	C+
156	Wallington Boro-0265	0.13 µg/L	No	4	D+
157	Denville Twp.-1408	0.12 µg/L	No	4	F
158	Deptford Twp.-0802	0.11 µg/L	No	3	B-
159	Barnegat Twp.-1533	0.11 µg/L	No	5	C+
160	Verona Boro-0720	0.11 µg/L	No	5	F
161	Monroe Twp.-0811	0.10 µg/L	No	9	C
162	Ringwood Boro-1611	0.10 µg/L	No	19	F
163	Beachwood Boro-1504	0.10 µg/L	No	0	B-
164	Nutley Town-0716	0.10 µg/L	No	13	C
165	Edison Twp.-1205	0.09 µg/L	No	4	B-
166	Clinton Town -1005	0.09 µg/L	No	2	D
167	East Orange City-0705	0.09 µg/L	No	35	F
168	Mount Holly Twp.-0323	0.08 µg/L	No	0	B+
169	Winslow Twp.-0436	0.08 µg/L	No	37	F
170	Totowa Boro-1612	0.07 µg/L	No	1	B-
171	Alpine Boro-0202	0.07 µg/L	No	2	B-
172	Bergenfield Boro-0203	0.07 µg/L	No	2	B-
173	Bogota Boro-0204	0.07 µg/L	No	2	B-
174	Carlstadt Boro-0205	0.07 µg/L	No	2	B-
175	Cliffside Park Boro-0206	0.07 µg/L	No	2	B-
176	Closter Boro-0207	0.07 µg/L	No	2	B-
177	Cresskill Boro-0208	0.07 µg/L	No	2	B-
178	Demarest Boro-0209	0.07 µg/L	No	2	B-
179	Dumont Boro-0210	0.07 µg/L	No	2	B-
180	East Rutherford Boro-0212	0.07 µg/L	No	2	B-
181	Edgewater Boro-0213	0.07 µg/L	No	2	B-
182	Emerson Boro-0214	0.07 µg/L	No	2	B-
183	Englewood City-0215	0.07 µg/L	No	2	B-
184	Englewood Cliffs Boro-0216	0.07 µg/L	No	2	B-
185	Fairview Boro-0218	0.07 µg/L	No	2	B-
186	Fort Lee Boro-0219	0.07 µg/L	No	2	B-
187	Guttenberg Town-0903	0.07 µg/L	No	2	B-
188	Hackensack City-0223	0.07 µg/L	No	2	B-
189	Harrington Park Boro-0224	0.07 µg/L	No	2	B-
190	Hasbrouck Heights-0225	0.07 µg/L	No	2	B-
191	Haworth Boro-0226	0.07 µg/L	No	2	B-
192	Leonia Boro-0229	0.07 µg/L	No	2	B-
193	Little Ferry Boro-0230	0.07 µg/L	No	2	B-
194	Maywood Boro-0234	0.07 µg/L	No	2	B-
195	Moonachie Boro-0237	0.07 µg/L	No	2	B-
196	New Milford Boro-0238	0.07 µg/L	No	2	B-
197	North Bergen Twp.-0908	0.07 µg/L	No	2	B-
198	Northvale Boro-0240	0.07 µg/L	No	2	B-
199	Norwood Boro-0241	0.07 µg/L	No	2	B-
200	Old Tappan Boro-0243	0.07 µg/L	No	2	B-
201	Oradell Boro-0244	0.07 µg/L	No	2	B-
202	Palisades Park Boro-0245	0.07 µg/L	No	2	B-
203	Paramus Boro-0246	0.07 µg/L	No	2	B-
204	Ridgefield Boro-0249	0.07 µg/L	No	2	B-
205	Ridgefield Park Twp-0250	0.07 µg/L	No	2	B-
206	River Edge Boro-0252	0.07 µg/L	No	2	B-
207	River Vale Twp-0253	0.07 µg/L	No	2	B-
208	Rochelle Park Twp-0254	0.07 µg/L	No	2	B-
209	Rockleigh Boro-0255	0.07 µg/L	No	2	B-
210	Rutherford Boro-0256	0.07 µg/L	No	2	B-
211	Secaucus Town-0909	0.07 µg/L	No	2	B-
212	South Hackensack Twp-.0259	0.07 µg/L	No	2	B-
213	Teaneck Twp-.0260	0.07 µg/L	No	2	B-
214	Tenafly Boro-0261	0.07 µg/L	No	2	B-
215	Teterboro Boro-0262	0.07 µg/L	No	2	B-
216	Upper Saddle River-0263	0.07 µg/L	No	2	B-
217	Washington Twp.-0266	0.07 µg/L	No	2	B-
218	Weehawken Twp.-0911	0.07 µg/L	No	2	B-
219	West New York Town-0912	0.07 µg/L	No	2	B-
220	Westwood Boro-0267	0.07 µg/L	No	2	B-
221	Wood-Ridge Boro-0269	0.07 µg/L	No	2	B-

FAQ

Frequently asked questions about 1,4-dioxane in New Jersey

Is 1,4-dioxane in New Jersey tap water dangerous?

1,4-Dioxane is classified by the EPA as a likely human carcinogen. There is no federal MCL, but the EPA health advisory is 0.35 µg/L. 99 cities in New Jersey exceed the health advisory level. Long-term exposure is associated with liver and kidney damage.

How can I remove 1,4-dioxane from my drinking water?

1,4-Dioxane is one of the most difficult contaminants to remove from water. Standard carbon filters and conventional water treatment are generally ineffective. Advanced oxidation processes (AOP) used by water utilities are the most reliable. At the household level, some high-end reverse osmosis systems may provide partial reduction, but no standard point-of-use filter is certified for 1,4-dioxane removal.

Where does 1,4-dioxane come from in New Jersey water?

1,4-Dioxane is a synthetic industrial chemical primarily used as a solvent stabilizer in chlorinated solvent degreasing operations. It enters water from industrial discharge, contaminated groundwater plumes near manufacturing sites, landfills, and military bases. It is highly water-soluble, does not bind to soil, and resists natural biodegradation, making it a persistent groundwater contaminant.

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