Chesterfield, NJ tap water quality

Water from Aqua New Jersey's Hamilton Square system met New Jersey's PFAS limits in 2025, but PFOA and PFOS were above EPA's national limit of 4 ppt, which utilities must meet by 2029.

Chesterfield is in Burlington County and has about 9,046 residents. About 41% of Chesterfield residents live inside the service area of Aqua New Jersey's Hamilton Square system, according to New Jersey DEP's map of public water service areas and 2020 Census population. The results on this page are for that system. About 59% live outside any mapped public water service area. Homes there use private wells or small water systems the state doesn't map; no utility report covers them.

Hardness and lead in Chesterfield's water

Hardness

Up to 49 mg/LUp to 2.9 grains per gallon, softNew Jersey's recommended upper limit 250 mg/L (for taste and appearance; not enforceable); no federal limit.

Lead, 90th percentile of home taps

<2.0 ppbAction level: 15 ppb, dropping to 10 ppb in November 2027

Up to 2.9 grains per gallon in the Hamilton Square system's report: size a water softener for Chesterfield. The statewide hardness table lists the other water systems on this site.

Filtering Chesterfield's tap water at home

PFOA and PFOS were above the federal limits in this system's report. We found 9 filters with a certified PFOA and PFOS reduction claim (on its own or as part of a total PFAS claim), checked against the manufacturer's performance data sheet; the water system page lists them with a link to each document.

Where does Chesterfield's water come from?

The Hamilton Square system's 2025 report lists its own sources as five wells in the Potomac-Raritan-Magothy aquifer.

Aqua New Jersey runs the Hamilton Square system. For billing, starting or stopping service, or account questions, go to Aqua New Jersey's customer service page.

Local factors in Chesterfield

Age of homes

21% (margin of error ±7 percentage points) of homes in Chesterfield were built before 1980 (Burlington County: 55%, New Jersey: 63%; U.S. Census ACS 2020-2024). The utility's water quality report describes water leaving the system, not the plumbing inside a home; why the build year matters for lead.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, table B25034 (Year Structure Built).

Radon

NJDEP places Chesterfield in Radon Tier 1 (high potential: 25 percent or more of tested homes at or above 4 picocuries per liter) based on indoor radon tests (2015). In that report, 20% of the 415 homes tested in Chesterfield were at or above 4 picocuries per liter. NJDEP keeps a town in Tier 1 once it has been designated, even if the share later falls below 25 percent. NJDEP recommends testing every home regardless of tier. Homes on private wells can also get radon from well water. How radon tiers work.

Source: New Jersey DEP Radon Section, 2015 Radon Tier Assignment Report; the same figures appear in NJDEP's current municipal tier list.

Known contaminated sites

NJDEP lists 8 sites in Chesterfield where soil or groundwater contamination has been confirmed (October 14, 2026). These are places under cleanup oversight; they do not mean that tap water from the public system is contaminated. The public water system is tested and treated separately; people with private wells near a listed site can ask the county health department about testing.

Source: New Jersey DEP, Known Contaminated Sites List map layer, retrieved October 16, 2026, with site-by-site lists in NJDEP's Known Contaminated Sites reports.

Water and sewer bills

In the Census Bureau's survey (ACS 2020-2024, about this question), 80% (margin of error ±5 percentage points) of occupied homes in Chesterfield pay a separate charge for water and sewer; the rest report no charge or a charge included in other fees, such as rent. Among the homes that pay, 40% (margin of error ±8 percentage points) report $1,000 or more for the year (29% in Burlington County, 30% statewide), as households report it rather than as the utility bills it.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, table B25134 (Annual Water and Sewer Costs).

ZIP code covering Chesterfield: 08515. Source: U.S. Census Bureau 2020 ZIP Code Tabulation Areas.