Home hazard report for 07543 — Paterson, NJ
ZIP 07543 is served by Passaic Valley Water Commission (as listed by the state): 1 violation since 2016, latest lead result 1.6 ppb, PFAS 11.5 ppt. Passaic is in EPA radon zone 2.
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. 8 PFAS compounds detected.
Predicted average indoor radon between 2 and 4 pCi/L. Test your home; many homes here exceed 4 pCi/L.
The nearest active Superfund site is 8.8 miles away.
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Where ZIP 07543 is
blue: utility service area · scroll or pinch to zoomDrinking water: Passaic Valley Water Commission
Health-based violations
| Contaminant or rule | Health-based violations since 2016 |
|---|---|
| Lead and Copper Rule | 1 |
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 Jul 2021.
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 | 11.9 ppt | 3 of 4 | — |
| PFOA | 11.5 ppt | 4 of 4 | 4 ppt MCL |
| PFHxA | 9.6 ppt | 3 of 4 | — |
| PFOS | 7.7 ppt | 3 of 4 | 4 ppt MCL |
| PFBA | 7.2 ppt | 3 of 4 | — |
| PFBS | 3.9 ppt | 3 of 4 | — |
| PFHpA | 3.2 ppt | 2 of 4 | — |
| PFHxS | 3.2 ppt | 2 of 4 | — |
| PFDA | not detected | 0 of 4 | — |
| HFPO-DA (GenX) | not detected | 0 of 4 | — |
| PFNA | not detected | 0 of 4 | — |
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 Passaic
EPA radon zone 2 — moderate potential. Predicted average indoor radon between 2 and 4 pCi/L. Test your home; many homes here exceed 4 pCi/L.
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 →
Superfund sites nearby
| Site | Status | Distance |
|---|---|---|
| Witco Chemical Corp. (Oakland Plant) Oakland, New Jersey · EPA ID NJD045653854 | Cleaned up & deleted | 3.2 mi |
| W.R. Grace & Co., Inc./Wayne Interim Storage Site (USDOE) Wayne Township, New Jersey · EPA ID NJ1891837980 | Cleaned up & deleted | 3.4 mi |
| Ringwood Mines/Landfill Ringwood Borough, New Jersey · EPA ID NJD980529739 | Active (final NPL) | 8.8 mi |
| Pepe Field Boonton, New Jersey · EPA ID NJD980529598 | Cleaned up & deleted | 8.8 mi |
| Unimatic Manufacturing Corporation Fairfield, New Jersey · EPA ID NJD002164796 | Active (final NPL) | 9.3 mi |
| Caldwell Trucking Co. Fairfield, New Jersey · EPA ID NJD048798953 | Active (final NPL) | 9.5 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 07543
Who supplies drinking water to ZIP 07543?
Passaic Valley Water Commission (EPA ID NJ1605002), a surface water (rivers, lakes) system serving about 310,483 people, listed by the state as serving this ZIP code.
Is there lead in Paterson, NJ tap water?
The utility’s latest 90th-percentile lead result (Jan 2026) was 1.6 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 Paterson, 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. 8 PFAS compounds detected.
Has the water system in 07543 had violations?
Health-based violations since 2016: Lead and Copper Rule. All are listed as resolved.
Are there Superfund sites near 07543?
The nearest active Superfund site is 8.8 miles away. Sites within 10 miles: Witco Chemical Corp. (Oakland Plant) (3.2 mi, Cleaned up & deleted); W.R. Grace & Co., Inc./Wayne Interim Storage Site (USDOE) (3.4 mi, Cleaned up & deleted); Ringwood Mines/Landfill (8.8 mi, Active (final NPL)).
Is radon a problem in Passaic?
Passaic is in EPA radon zone 2 (moderate potential). Predicted average indoor radon between 2 and 4 pCi/L. Test your home; many homes here exceed 4 pCi/L.