No Toxics On Tap

New Jersey’s waterways are contaminated by toxic PFAS. These so-called forever chemicals increase our risk of cancer and other health risks. We need to stop PFAS from polluting our waterways – and reduce the risk to our drinking water.

Chances are you are hearing more and more about toxic chemicals called PFAS. Toxic PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances)  are used in a vast array of consumer products and industrial processes – and are toxic even at very low level exposure. One of the reasons you are hearing more about them, is that they pose a significant threat to our health. PFAS have been linked to an increased risk of cancer, immunosuppression, liver disease, developmental and reproductive harm and more. To make matters worse PFAS are highly resistant to breaking down in the environment, earning them the nickname forever chemicals.

Elevated levels of PFAS in our waterways

To protect our families from these toxic chemicals, we need to keep them out of our drinking water. The problem is more of these forever chemicals are ending up in New Jersey’s waterways, and every region of the state has elevated levels of PFAS in the waterways which serve as our drinking water sources., Which means we need to filter out these chemicals before they enter our homes, schools and hospitals. .

One major source of PFAS in our waterways is untreated wastewater that is discharged into our waterways. Which means waterways which are already contaminated with PFAS get even more PFAS added to them. So there is even more PFAS to filter out before that water is safe enough for us to use.

New Jersey needs to take the next step to protect our families from PFAS
The good news is that New Jersey set standards for how much PFAS can be found in the water that comes out of our water treatment facilities. The bad news is that many water utilities are failing to meet that standard. To be clear, they are currently filtering out the PFAS before water gets to our homes, but unless we prevent the PFAS from getting into our drinking water sources in the first place, we are going to have to do more and more to prevent the PFAS from ending up in our drinking water. .

How to break the cycle of PFAS in our waterways

We need to break the loop of forever chemicals being endlessly cycled through our waterways. We should stop producing and disposing of so many of these chemicals in the first place. But in the meantime, we have a great opportunity to upgrade our treatment plants to get forever chemicals out of the water before it gets dumped back into waterways – which will make it easier to stop them from coming into our homes, schools and hospitals.

The NJDEP and Murphy administration need to act now to clean up PFAS

The NJDEP has been working on a plan for more than two years that would filter out more PFAS before they get into our drinking water supplies. The plan would also require them to test for and filter out close to 100 other harmful chemicals as well.

The NJDEP is about to propose the  formal rules that could get adopted.  We’re calling on them to propose the strictest possible standards for PFAS and for Gov. Murphy to adopt them before the end of his term in January.

Together we can protect our families from toxic PFAS 

To ensure the proposal is proposed and adopted – and not weakened by opponents – we are building support in dozens of communities across New Jersey, from the Shore to the Delaware River and the Highlands. We will work to educate the public, generate a media spotlight on this issue and build a broader coalition of concerned residents, public health professionals, parents, mayors and more.

Featured Action: Tell NJDEP to act now to get PFAS out of our waterways

We need your help

First, you can sign our petition, calling on the NJDEP to propose the strongest possible standards for eliminating PFAS from re-entering our waterways, and for Governor Murphy to give them the force of law.

If you aren’t already a member, join Environment New Jersey today. Your membership gives the resources and backing we need to win this campaign.

Environment New Jersey has a history of protecting drinking water

We have worked to clean up our drinking water sources for more than a generation. From our early organizational work to enforce the Clean Water Act to putting on hipwaders to spot illegal discharges of pollution into our waterways to successful litigation against the largest polluters in the state to passing legislation for mandatory fines for clean water permit violations, our organization has always led on protecting that waterways that provide our drinking water.

Together, we can clean up our waterways that provide our drinking water and filter out PFAS chemicals that are such a public health threat.

Here’s additional background information on PFAS:

NJDEP PFAS Background: https://dep.nj.gov/pfas/

EPA fact sheet on PFAS

NJDEP Powerpoint on Proposal to Reduce Toxins In Our Waterways: https://dep.nj.gov/wp-content/uploads/workgroups/swqs-20241121-pres.pdf

Four-part series from NJ Spotlight’s Hazard Podcast on PFAS: https://www.njspotlightnews.org/podcasts/hazard-nj/

Jersey Vindicator: https://jerseyvindicator.org/2025/04/17/a-community-left-behind-pfas-environmental-crisis-unfolds-on-lambertvilles-connaught-hill/ \

New Jersey Spotlight: https://www.njspotlightnews.org/2025/02/startlingly-high-pfas-forever-chemicals-levels-washington-township-nj-well/