Testing Your Well Water
For many years, State law (the Private Well Testing Act) has required that private wells be tested for certain water contaminants when a house is sold. As of December 31, 2021, the Private Well Testing Act added a new category of water contaminants, namely per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, or PFAS, to the list of contaminants for which testing is required. Some property owners, when their house is being sold, are being required, pursuant to the State law, to install filtration devices which effectively mitigate these and/or other contaminants. If your house is not being sold, there is no requirement for testing for PFAS or other contaminants. The Borough, through its contracted sanitarian, the Bergen County Department of Health Services, enforces the provisions of the Private Well Testing Act.
These new requirements pertaining to PFAS also apply to wells owned by public utilities. In fact, Suez is currently expanding its water treatment facility on Wyandotte Road for the specific purpose of addressing this potential issue, though the readings for PFAS have been under the State threshold (13 or 14 parts per trillion, depending on the contaminant) at the Wyandotte well.
The Borough’s Board of Health has advocated for private well testing by Borough residents with eblasts over the last couple of years and a webpage dedicated to the subject.
The New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection provides the most comprehensive information on PFAS in drinking water on its website:
Importantly, there is nothing to our knowledge that suggests that there is a spike in PFAS in area wells, or that this issue is worsening. In fact, based on current data, this area is not as impacted as other areas within New Jersey. However, if you own a private well, it is highly recommended that you educate yourself on these contaminants and get your well water tested.
Franklin Lakes Board of Health