Bernardsville Borough Well Water Testing Program 2021-2022

While commercial water companies are required by law to test customers’ water, owners of private wells are on their own. Regular monitoring of water quality is critically important to ensuring a safe water supply. Local efforts to provide community-supported testing programs help prevent exposure to drinking water contaminants by making the testing process convenient and affordable. 

For many years, Bernardsville Borough has partnered with local non-profit Raritan Headwaters Association (RHA) to hold a water testing event enabling residents the opportunity to test their drinking water conveniently and affordably for a variety of contaminants. Residents had access to online registration and payment for water test kits to make the process even more convenient. While online, they could also view complete details on types of sampling and detailed instructions on how to properly fill their sample bottles. The Community Well Test Event in 2021 was held at two locations on April 24th and April 29th. The Community Well Test Event in 2022 was held at Far Hills Fairgrounds in partnership with Bedminster and Far Hills Township on June 18th. In total, 24 Bernardsville residents attended the events to have their well water tested!

The following chart is a summary of data collected from these 24 wells on Primary Contaminants of Concern:

* Maximum Contaminant Level (MCL). The maximum level of a contaminant which is permitted in public water supplies. Maximum contaminant levels are specified in the Primary Drinking Water Standards set by EPA for contaminants that affect the safety of public drinking water.

** There is no standard set in NJ for radon in water. Standards set in other states in our region are used as guidelines. The most protective of these standards is 2000 pCi/L in New Hampshire. 

There are approximately 950 private wells in Bernardsville Borough. Under the New Jersey Private Well Testing Act (PWTA) which was signed into law in 2001, wells must be tested for an array of contaminants upon transfer of ownership or if there is a rental on the property. The NJDEP collects and publishes data on the results of the testing which may explored at https://www.nj.gov/dep/dsr/pwta/. In Bernardsville Borough, 305 wells have been tested as mandated under the PWTA between 2002 and 2018. The following table summarizes available data for Bernardsville Borough on the percent of exceedances for individual contaminants including the number of wells tested under PWTA.

Private Well Testing Act Results Sept. 2002- Dec. 2018 

Source: NJ Private Well Testing Act Data Summary (Sep. 2002 to Dec. 2018) NJDEP (2023)

Private well owners are responsible for the safety of their water and regular testing is the only way to know for certain that the water is safe to drink. Based on available data and current public health guidelines, residents of Bernardsville Borough are encouraged to test their wells annually for coliform bacteria and nitrates. Those residents living in older homes, built before 1987, are at greater risk of lead exposure from older pipes and solder and should test for lead in their water every 5 years even if they get their water from a public supply. Elevated levels of arsenic in well water (over 5ppb) impact about 4.5% of the homes in Bernardsville, so it is best to test for this contaminant every 5 years. During the well testing event in 2021, a home was found to have over 15 times the federal limit for radon in water, so it is encouraged for residents of Bernardsville to test for radon in water at least once. 

Furthermore, residents can protect their water supply by carefully managing activities on their property and near the well. This includes keeping hazardous chemicals out of septic systems, pumping their septic system every 3 years, and limiting the application of fertilizers to lawns and gardens. For more information on RHA’s Community Well Testing Program, visit www.testmywell.org. 

Written by: Samantha LaRocca, Well Test Program Manager RHA, Winter 2023