Hundreds of thousands of New Jersey water customers are finding out that their water could be contaminated.

The Mahwah Water Company sent customers a letter alerting them of contaminants in their water that exceed state standards.

Mahwah is one of more than 30 community water systems sending similar letters to customers, as required by state law.

“It’s concerning. I talked to several friends in town and they are concerned about it,” says resident David Rose.

News 12 New Jersey has previously reported about the chemical known as PFAS last fall when the Middlesex Water Company began reporting on the levels. PFAS is a chemical used in nonstick cookware and firefighting foam. The state raised the standards for PFAS in 2020.

Now more water systems are being added to the list of those violating regulations. It is up to the companies to remedy the problem, something that takes a lot of time and is expensive.

Rose says he took matters into his own hands by installing a full house filtration system years ago.

Harry Gaulden, of Harmar Water Purification Systems, sells the systems and admits that they have a hefty price tag. But he says that the peace of mind customers get from having the system is priceless.

“The system makes the water 99% pure. It’s a water purification system, not a softener… It removes all the contaminants,” he says.

Nearly half a million New Jersey residents, served by more than 30 water companies, are impacted by the new standards. Many of the systems have shut down affected wells. But they say that it will take time to fix the problems completely.

The New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection has a list of water companies in violation on its website. The chemicals can’t be boiled out, so those who are concerned should use bottled water or consult with a physician for advice.