Home hazard report for 08861 — Perth Amboy, NJ
ZIP 08861 is served by Perth Amboy Water Department: 7 violations since 2016, latest lead result 0 ppb, PFAS 19 ppt. Middlesex County is in EPA radon zone 2.
Health-based violations since 2016: Tthm, Gross Alpha, Excl. Radon and U, 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 between 2 and 4 pCi/L. Test your home; many homes here exceed 4 pCi/L.
FEMA’s overall natural-hazard risk for this census tract, relative to the rest of the U.S.
The nearest active Superfund site is 3.4 miles away.
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Where ZIP 08861 is
Dashed: ZIP area · blue: utility service area · scroll or pinch to zoomDrinking water: Perth Amboy Water Department
Health-based violations
| Contaminant or rule | Health-based violations since 2016 |
|---|---|
| Tthm | 3 |
| Gross Alpha, Excl. Radon and U | 3 |
| 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 Jan 2026.
Full record for Perth Amboy Water Department →
Other systems overlapping this ZIP: Middlesex Water Company.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| PFOA | 19 ppt | 4 of 4 | 4 ppt MCL |
| HFPO-DA (GenX) | 14 ppt | 4 of 4 | — |
| PFPeA | 5.3 ppt | 4 of 4 | — |
| PFBA | 5.1 ppt | 2 of 4 | — |
| PFOS | 4.9 ppt | 3 of 4 | 4 ppt MCL |
| PFHxA | 4.4 ppt | 4 of 4 | — |
| PFHpA | 3.4 ppt | 2 of 4 | — |
| PFBS | not detected | 0 of 4 | — |
| PFDA | not detected | 0 of 4 | — |
| PFNA | not detected | 0 of 4 | — |
| PFHxS | 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 Middlesex County
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 →
Natural hazard risk
FEMA rates the overall natural-hazard risk of this neighborhood (census tract) as Very Low, with very high social vulnerability and relatively low 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Atlantic Resources Corporation Sayreville, New Jersey · EPA ID NJD981558430 | Active (final NPL) | 3.4 mi |
| Horseshoe Road Sayreville, New Jersey · EPA ID NJD980663678 | Active (final NPL) | 3.5 mi |
| Raritan Bay Slag Old Bridge Township, Sayreville, New Jersey · EPA ID NJN000206276 | Active (final NPL) | 3.9 mi |
| Renora, Inc. Edison Township, New Jersey · EPA ID NJD070415005 | Cleaned up & deleted | 4.5 mi |
| Chemical Insecticide Corp. Edison Township, New Jersey · EPA ID NJD980484653 | Active (final NPL) | 5.0 mi |
| Global Sanitary Landfill Old Bridge Township, New Jersey · EPA ID NJD063160667 | Active (final NPL) | 5.2 mi |
| Kin-Buc Landfill Edison Township, New Jersey · EPA ID NJD049860836 | Active (final NPL) | 6.0 mi |
| Evor Phillips Leasing Old Bridge Township, New Jersey · EPA ID NJD980654222 | Active (final NPL) | 6.4 mi |
| CPS/Madison Industries Old Bridge Township, New Jersey · EPA ID NJD002141190 | Active (final NPL) | 6.6 mi |
| Sayreville Landfill Sayreville, New Jersey · EPA ID NJD980505754 | Cleaned up & deleted | 6.9 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 08861
Who supplies drinking water to ZIP 08861?
Perth Amboy Water Department (EPA ID NJ1216001), a surface water (rivers, lakes) system serving about 52,328 people.
Is there lead in Perth Amboy, NJ tap water?
The utility’s latest 90th-percentile lead result (Jan 2026) was 0 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 Perth Amboy, 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 08861 had violations?
Health-based violations since 2016: Tthm, Gross Alpha, Excl. Radon and U, Lead and Copper Rule. All are listed as resolved.
What natural hazards affect ZIP 08861?
FEMA’s National Risk Index rates the overall natural-hazard risk here as Very Low; the highest-rated hazards are winter weather (relatively high), cold wave (relatively moderate), heat wave (relatively moderate).
Are there Superfund sites near 08861?
The nearest active Superfund site is 3.4 miles away. Sites within 10 miles: Atlantic Resources Corporation (3.4 mi, Active (final NPL)); Horseshoe Road (3.5 mi, Active (final NPL)); Raritan Bay Slag (3.9 mi, Active (final NPL)).
Is radon a problem in Middlesex County?
Middlesex County 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.