Denville, NJ: PFAS Found in Water - Home Safety 33/100
1 ZIP code · 3 water systems · Updated
ZipCheckup grade for Denville: F.
Federal data flags serious home-safety risks for this ZIP.
Your top priority: see the breakdown below and consider a certified water filter. NSF certified filters →
Unlike better-scoring cities in NJ, Denville records health-based violations across a meaningful portion of its service areas - the overall safety grade is well below average.
How Denville Compares
Data: EPA SDWIS
Denville Water: The Quick Version
- Your city's water systems recorded 102 violations in the past 5 years.
- Average lead level: 0.0044 mg/L.
- Homes built before 1986: 72% - older plumbing may contain lead solder.
- Estimated remediation: $3,600 per household.
- CDC health risk index: 9.89.
Water Systems Serving Denville
Across Denville, NJ, residential water comes from 3 primary utilities rather than a single consolidated provider. Each system operates independently - managing its own distribution infrastructure, rate schedules, and EPA compliance filings. Federal records track 3 water systems in the area, with these top providers accounting for the majority of residential connections.
- F
- F
- F
Overview
We track home safety data for 1 ZIP code in Denville, New Jersey (population ~18,203), covering 3 community water systems serving approximately 80,281 people region-wide. The EPA snapshots used for this build directly map water systems to 1 of 1 ZIP codes.
1 of 1 ZIP code with a reported violation count in the available EPA record (100%) have recorded EPA violations. The available record reports no health-based violations for this measured scope.
Home Safety Score
Average Home Safety Score for Denville: F (33/100)
Model 4.0.0 uses four measured components across three equally weighted domains. If a required domain is unavailable, no score is published:
| Factor | What It Measures |
|---|---|
| Water Quality | EPA violations and compliance history |
| PFAS MCL Screen | UCMR 5 testing against the covered federal MCLs |
| Radon Risk | EPA radon zone classification |
| Annual AQI | EPA AirData county-year median with at least 90 observed days |
Water Sources
Denville water systems draw from: Groundwater, Surface water.
Lead & Copper
- Average lead level (90th percentile): 0.0044 mg/L (EPA action level: 0.015 mg/L)
- 0 of 1 ZIP code with known status exceed the EPA lead action level
Radon Risk
Dominant radon zone: Zone 1 (High Risk)
The EPA recommends testing homes in Zone 1 and Zone 2 areas for radon.
Top Contaminants
| Contaminant | Category | Violations | ZIPs Affected |
|---|---|---|---|
| Revised Total Coliform Rule | Microbiological | 12 | 1 |
| PFOA | PFAS | 8 | 1 |
| PFNA | PFAS | 8 | 1 |
| Monochloroacetic Acid | Disinfection Byproducts | 8 | 1 |
| Dichloroacetic Acid | Disinfection Byproducts | 8 | 1 |
Areas with Most Violations
| ZIP Code | Safety Score | Violations | Health-Based | System |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 07834 | F | 102 | 0 | Denville Twp Water Department |
All ZIP Codes in Denville
- 07834 [F] - 102 violations
Data Sources
- Water quality: EPA Safe Drinking Water Information System (SDWIS)
- Lead/copper: EPA Lead and Copper Rule sampling data
- Radon: EPA Map of Radon Zones
Reporting periods vary by source. Missing data is shown as unavailable, not as zero.
CDC Health Data for Denville
Source: CDC PLACES (County-level estimates). Water contamination can correlate with respiratory and chronic health conditions.
Compared to National Average
Vertical line = national average. ■ Above national · ■ Below national
Key Contaminants Detected in Denville
Based on EPA violation records. Check your ZIP code report for system-specific contaminant data.
How Old Is Denville's Housing Stock?
With 72% of homes built before 1986, lead solder in plumbing is a potential concern. The EPA banned lead solder in 1986, but many older homes retain original plumbing.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey (ACS).
Housing Age Profile
The median home in Denville was built in 1966 - a figure that places most of the city's residential stock in the era when lead solder was still standard in copper plumbing. Homes built before 1986 may have lead-soldered joints; those built before 1970 face the additional possibility of lead pipes in the service line itself.
Over half of homes in Denville were built before 1986, when lead solder was banned. Older plumbing may leach lead into drinking water, especially with corrosive water chemistry.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS B25034.
Denville: Remediation Cost in Perspective
For most homeowners in Denville, the estimated cost of water and safety remediation represents a proportionally modest share of what properties are worth - placing this area in the lower tier of the remediation share scale.
Remediation costs in Denville are relatively low compared to home values. The $2,400–$4,800 estimated range is a small fraction of median property value. Home values are 14% above the New Jersey average.
Protecting Children from Lead in Denville
Why children are most at risk: The CDC states there is no safe level of lead exposure for children. Children under 6 absorb lead more readily than adults, and even low levels can cause developmental delays, learning difficulties, and behavioral problems.
Despite citywide averages serving as the standard public reference point, those aggregates cannot resolve what is happening at one specific faucet - and where 72% of Denville homes come from before the solder rule or where utility samples sit at or above the action mark, the gap between system data and faucet reality matters more than it does in lower-exposure communities. An in-home draw closes that gap, with certified filtration through retailer networks available where confirmed faucet results warrant additional measures.
Sources: EPA Lead and Copper Rule, U.S. Census Bureau ACS, CDC childhood lead poisoning prevention guidelines.
Historical Flood-Claim Evidence for Denville
Historical NFIP data for Denville contains 879 flood insurance claims. Among claims with payment data, the average reported building, contents, and ICC component sum is $23,575. Among ZIP codes with claim records, 100% have an A- or V-family dominant rated zone recorded in those historical claims. This is not a complete current FEMA property-map inventory.
How flooding affects water quality: Flood events can introduce sewage, agricultural runoff, and industrial chemicals into water supplies. Even after floodwaters recede, contamination can persist in wells and aging infrastructure. The <strong>$3,600</strong> remediation estimate shown here excludes flood insurance and is not derived from NFIP claim count.
Claim count does not establish current property risk. Check the exact address in FEMA's current map and obtain a property-specific insurance quote when relevant.
Source: historical FEMA National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) claim records. No current FEMA property-map designation is asserted.
What You Can Do in Denville
- Test your water at home. City-level data shows averages - your tap may differ. NSF-certified test kits cost $20-40 and give results in days.
- Install a certified water filter. Filters rated for Revised Total Coliform Rule can reduce the most common contaminant found in Denville's water.
- Check your home's plumbing. With 72% of homes built before 1986, lead solder is a real possibility.
- Review your water system's CCR. Your utility publishes an annual Consumer Confidence Report with detailed test results. Request it or find it online.
Deep Dive Reports
Detailed analysis for Denville, NJ