Is Tap Water Safe to Drink in Newark?
Yes, tap water in Newark is safe to drink today. After its 2017–2019 lead crisis, the city replaced roughly 23,000 lead service lines in under three years — one of the fastest such programs in U.S. history — and lead levels are now well below the federal action level.
Water Source
Newark's Department of Water and Sewer Utilities supplies the city from the protected Pequannock watershed reservoirs in northern New Jersey, supplemented by Wanaque system water from the North Jersey District Water Supply Commission.
EPA Compliance Status
Meets all federal Safe Drinking Water Act standards. The lead crisis stemmed from failed corrosion-control treatment, not the source water; a new orthophosphate corrosion program plus the completed citywide lead service line replacement (finished around 2022) brought lead readings well under the federal action level, where they have remained.
Notable Contaminants & Context
- •Lead was the defining issue: corrosion-control failure caused exceedances from 2017, triggering filter distribution, bottled water, and ultimately full replacement of about 23,000 lead lines at no cost to residents
- •Disinfection byproducts from reservoir water have occasionally required attention historically and are within limits
- •The Pequannock source watershed itself is protected and high quality
Water Quality Data
Key contaminants detected vs. regulatory limits. All values from the most recent published report — Source: Newark Water and Sewer 2024 CCR.
| Contaminant | Detected | Limit | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chlorine (total) | 1.5 mg/L | 4.0 mg/L | ✓ |
| Fluoride | 0.73 mg/L | 4.0 mg/L | ✓ |
| Lead (90th percentile) | 10.8 µg/L | 15.0 µg/L | ✓ |
| Nitrate (as N) | 0.91 mg/L | 10.0 mg/L | ✓ |
| TTHM (Total Trihalomethanes) | 32.6 µg/L | 80.0 µg/L | ✓ |
| HAA5 (Haloacetic Acids) | 22.8 µg/L | 60.0 µg/L | ✓ |
| PFAS (total) | 7.3 ng/L | 4.0 ng/L | ⚠ |
✓ = below limit ⚠ = above health goal ✗ = exceeds guideline
How It Compares
Newark went from cautionary tale to national model: its ordinance-driven, no-cost-to-homeowner replacement of virtually all lead lines in under three years is now the template cited for Chicago, St. Paul and other cities with lead line inventories.
Tips
- •If your home's line was replaced, run the tap and clean aerators as instructed after any plumbing work
- •Free lead testing remains available through the city
- •The annual report tracks post-replacement lead sampling
Frequently Asked Questions
Sources & References
The safety rating and guidance on this page draw on the following sources. See our full methodology.
- •US EPA Safe Drinking Water Act regulations
- •EWG Tap Water Database
- •The utility's most recent Consumer Confidence Report (CCR)
- •WHO Guidelines for Drinking-water Quality