Home hazard report for 07438 — Oak Ridge, NJ
ZIP 07438 is served by Jefferson Twp W U Milton Sys: 2 violations since 2016, latest lead result 4.9 ppb, PFAS 11.5 ppt. Morris County is in EPA radon zone 1.
Health-based violations since 2016: Lead and Copper Rule. All are listed as resolved.
90th-percentile lead in the latest round (Jan 2026). Lead comes mostly from household plumbing and service lines, so individual homes can be higher.
Highest PFOA or PFOS result in EPA’s 2023–2025 testing was at or above 4.0 ppt, EPA’s 2024 maximum contaminant level for each. 7 PFAS compounds detected.
Predicted average indoor radon above 4 pCi/L — EPA’s action level. Test your home.
FEMA’s overall natural-hazard risk for this census tract, relative to the rest of the U.S.
The nearest active Superfund site is 4.2 miles away.
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Where ZIP 07438 is
Dashed: ZIP area · blue: utility service area · scroll or pinch to zoomDrinking water: Jefferson Twp W U Milton Sys
Health-based violations
| Contaminant or rule | Health-based violations since 2016 |
|---|---|
| Lead and Copper Rule | 2 |
A health-based violation means a contaminant exceeded its legal limit (MCL) or a required treatment technique was not met, as reported by the state to EPA’s SDWIS. All are listed as resolved or archived; the latest began Jan 2024.
Lead
90th-percentile lead per sampling round (90% of the homes sampled were at or below this level). Black line: EPA’s 15 ppb action level; under the Lead and Copper Rule Improvements the action level becomes 10 ppb from 2027.
PFAS (“forever chemicals”)
| Compound | Highest result | Samples with detection | EPA limit |
|---|---|---|---|
| PFPeA | 16.7 ppt | 6 of 6 | — |
| PFOA | 11.5 ppt | 6 of 6 | 4 ppt MCL |
| PFHxA | 10 ppt | 5 of 6 | — |
| PFOS | 6.8 ppt | 2 of 6 | 4 ppt MCL |
| PFBA | 6.6 ppt | 1 of 6 | — |
| PFBS | 5.8 ppt | 2 of 6 | — |
| PFHpA | 3.6 ppt | 1 of 6 | — |
| PFDA | not detected | 0 of 6 | — |
| PFHxS | not detected | 0 of 6 | — |
| HFPO-DA (GenX) | not detected | 0 of 6 | — |
| PFNA | not detected | 0 of 6 | — |
EPA Fifth Unregulated Contaminant Monitoring Rule (UCMR 5), samples 2023–2025; ppt = parts per trillion (ng/L). The 4.0 ppt maximum contaminant levels for PFOA and PFOS were set by EPA in 2024; water systems have until the end of the decade to comply.
Radon in Morris County
EPA radon zone 1 — highest potential. Predicted average indoor radon above 4 pCi/L — EPA’s action level. Test your home.
Radon is a colorless, odorless radioactive gas from soil and rock, and the leading cause of lung cancer among non-smokers. EPA recommends fixing a home at 4 pCi/L or above and considering it from 2 pCi/L. A short-term test kit costs about $15–30. How radon zones work →
Natural hazard risk
FEMA rates the overall natural-hazard risk of this neighborhood (census tract) as Relatively Low, with very low social vulnerability and very high community resilience.
FEMA National Risk Index (December 2025): expected annual losses from each hazard combined with social vulnerability and community resilience, rated relative to all U.S. census tracts. Hazards not listed are not applicable here. It describes the area, not a single building; flood insurance maps (FEMA FIRMs) decide flood-insurance requirements.
Live conditions: river gauges and flood levels · tornado warnings · wildfire detections · earthquakes — our sister maps, updated from NOAA, USGS and NASA every few minutes.
Superfund sites nearby
| Site | Status | Distance |
|---|---|---|
| Radiation Technology, Inc. Rockaway Township, New Jersey · EPA ID NJD047684451 | Active (final NPL) | 4.2 mi |
| A. O. Polymer Sparta Township, New Jersey · EPA ID NJD030253355 | Active (final NPL) | 5.8 mi |
| Metaltec/Aerosystems Franklin Borough, New Jersey · EPA ID NJD002517472 | Active (final NPL) | 6.9 mi |
| Rockaway Township Wells Rockaway Township, New Jersey · EPA ID NJD980654214 | Active (final NPL) | 8.1 mi |
| Picatinny Arsenal (USARMY) Rockaway Township, New Jersey · EPA ID NJ3210020704 | Active (final NPL) | 8.4 mi |
| Rockaway Borough Well Field Rockaway Township, New Jersey · EPA ID NJD980654115 | Active (final NPL) | 8.6 mi |
| Dayco Corp./L.E. Carpenter Co. Wharton Borough, New Jersey · EPA ID NJD002168748 | Active (final NPL) | 9.2 mi |
| Pepe Field Boonton, New Jersey · EPA ID NJD980529598 | Cleaned up & deleted | 9.9 mi |
EPA Superfund National Priorities List (NPL): the country’s most serious known hazardous-waste sites, each with an EPA cleanup record (linked). Distance is measured from the ZIP center to the site’s reference point; being near a site does not by itself mean exposure — EPA site pages describe what was found and how it is being cleaned up.
What this is — and isn’t. These are records your water utility and state reported to the EPA, and the EPA’s radon map for your county. They describe the system and the area, not the water from your own tap or the air in your home. For that, read your utility’s annual Consumer Confidence Report and test: lead and radon tests are inexpensive.
Questions about 07438
Who supplies drinking water to ZIP 07438?
Jefferson Twp W U Milton Sys (EPA ID NJ1414003), a groundwater (wells) system serving about 4,500 people.
Is there lead in Oak Ridge, NJ tap water?
The utility’s latest 90th-percentile lead result (Jan 2026) was 4.9 ppb; EPA’s action level is 15 ppb, falling to 10 ppb from 2027. Lead mostly comes from service lines and home plumbing, so the only way to know your tap is to test it.
Does Oak Ridge, NJ water have PFAS?
Highest PFOA or PFOS result in EPA’s 2023–2025 testing was at or above 4.0 ppt, EPA’s 2024 maximum contaminant level for each. 7 PFAS compounds detected.
Has the water system in 07438 had violations?
Health-based violations since 2016: Lead and Copper Rule. All are listed as resolved.
What natural hazards affect ZIP 07438?
FEMA’s National Risk Index rates the overall natural-hazard risk here as Relatively Low; the highest-rated hazards are winter weather (relatively high), cold wave (relatively moderate), lightning (relatively moderate).
Are there Superfund sites near 07438?
The nearest active Superfund site is 4.2 miles away. Sites within 10 miles: Radiation Technology, Inc. (4.2 mi, Active (final NPL)); A. O. Polymer (5.8 mi, Active (final NPL)); Metaltec/Aerosystems (6.9 mi, Active (final NPL)).
Is radon a problem in Morris County?
Morris County is in EPA radon zone 1 (highest potential). Predicted average indoor radon above 4 pCi/L — EPA’s action level. Test your home.