Ridgewood Water Update: Why PFOA Levels are a Growing Concern for Residents
the staff of the Ridgewood blog
Ridgewood NJ, for residents and customers relying on Ridgewood Water, staying informed about water safety is more critical than ever. While the utility provider issues quarterly water quality notices, a closer look at the data by concerned citizens reveals a troubling trend: PFOA and PFOS levels are not just persisting—they appear to be on the rise.
The Hidden Trend: What the Quarterly Notices Don’t Tell You
Standard quarterly notices provide a snapshot of current levels, but they often lack the historical context needed to see the bigger picture. Local tracking of these results indicates that water quality isn’t necessarily improving. Instead, chemical concentrations in some areas seem to be increasing, raising red flags for families and health-conscious neighbors.
Understanding the New Federal Standards
The landscape of water safety changed significantly in 2024. The federal Maximum Contaminant Level (MCL) for PFOA was finalized at a strict 4 parts per trillion (ppt). This reflects a growing scientific consensus that even minute amounts of these “forever chemicals” can pose long-term health risks.
What are PFOS and PFOA?
PFOS (Perfluorooctane Sulfonate) and PFOA (Perfluorooctanoic Acid) belong to a class of man-made chemicals known as PFAS. Often called “forever chemicals” because they don’t break down easily in the environment or the human body, they have been historically used in:
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Non-stick cookware (like Teflon)
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Water-repellent clothing and gear
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Stain-resistant fabrics and carpets
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Firefighting foams
Why Should You Care?
Long-term exposure to these chemicals has been linked to various health concerns, including thyroid disruption, increased cholesterol levels, and interference with the body’s natural hormones. By staying informed and tracking these levels together, our community can better advocate for transparency and enhanced filtration solutions.
Pro Tip: If you are concerned about your home’s water, consider NSF-certified filters specifically rated to remove PFAS/PFOA.
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I have lived here since the late 1960’s.. The water then was delicious. Now I turn on the tap and it smells like chlorine. I won’t drink it.
Stop buying surface water from other utilities that require chemicals to ‘clean’ it and drill more wells and remediate those that do not meet standards.
What really pisses me off is I can only water my lawn twice a week (actually once since i go away weekends) as i do not rely upon automatic sprinklers like the lazy residents… and Wyckoff and midland park water their grass anytime they want
Ridiculous comment on sprinklers. I guess u don’t have a dishwasher, u wash ur clothes in the tub and hang wet clothes on a clothes line hanging in ur back yard.
hey Ftard, I turn those appliances on and off as necessary
Lazy new residents have their automatic sprinklers on all the time, rain or shine, as needed or not so it forces the utility to impose restrictions. If It rains a day before your lazy ass automatic sprinkler is due to operate, it will come on since the rain sensor (unless you’re too cheap to have one) is coming on During a precipitation event only and doesn’t account for a monsoon rain the days prior
It’s true you go back over 30 years ago. The water was great, it tasted so good. It was soft. You couldn’t stop drinking it. Now you drink it it burns your throat. It makes you wonder what’s really in the water. What about this. Throughout the Village Of Ridgewood village owned buildings. They used to have their own water fountains. They removed them all because the settlement was getting into the filters, clogging them up and they didn’t want any of the employees drinking. It isn’t that interesting and they actually buy water and have it delivered to village hall. Why can’t they reinstall water fountains throughout the village. And filter it something really fishy going on and I would never trust the director of water. I got his number.
Yep it’s true. Water was so much better back then and very safe drinking out of the outside hose which tasted great
We would likely be able to rely upon the wells with the good tasting water if all the new residents didn’t install automatic sprinkler systems that drain the infrastructure