Paramus Water Hardness & Quality Report (2026)

SUEZ Water New Jersey (formerly United Water) serves Paramus in Bergen County, providing drinking water to over 800,000 customers across northern New Jersey municipalities. Primary sources include surface water from the Hackensack River and Oradell Reservoir, supplemented by groundwater from wells in the Passaic Formation. Treatment occurs at the Oradell Water Treatment Plant and other facilities, employing filtration, disinfection, and corrosion control. Distribution is through extensive mains with no lead service lines from the utility side.

The Hackensack River watershed spans the Watchung Mountains and Piedmont region, underlain by Mesozoic red beds of the Newark Supergroup, including sandstone, shale, and basalt with interbedded calcareous layers. These formations, combined with glacial deposits, yield a hard supply moderately mineralized with natural calcium and magnesium from dissolution in limestone-influenced drainage. The Triassic Newark Basin geology, including the Boonton and Brunswick formations alongside karst dolomitic limestone outcrops, produces elevated mineral content typical of the area's fractured bedrock aquifer systems.

Hard water in Paramus leads to scale buildup in pipes, water heaters, dishwashers, and washing machines, reducing efficiency and lifespan. White deposits on fixtures and reduced soap lathering are common. Regular vinegar descaling, drain screens, and scale inhibitors help with maintenance. A water softener is recommended to mitigate these effects. Water exiting the treatment plant shows no detectable lead; distributed levels were confirmed at 6.1 ppb, well below action limits. Routine testing exceeds 50,000 analyses yearly, including for PFAS and disinfection byproducts. Treatment involves coagulation, sedimentation, filtration, chlorination, and fluoride addition; customers should flush taps and check private service lines for lead.