Ridgewood Water Hardness & Quality Report (2026)

Ridgewood Water, operated by the Ridgewood Water Department, serves approximately 61,700 residents across Ridgewood and parts of two neighboring communities in Bergen County, New Jersey. The utility relies on 58 groundwater wells tapping the Brunswick aquifer, with no direct surface water intake. Water is treated via air stripping for volatile organics and disinfection using hypochlorite, with the main office at 131 North Maple Avenue, Ridgewood, NJ 07450, reachable at 201-670-5521. No major reservoirs are involved; extraction is solely from wellfields in glacial till and bedrock overburden.

The supply originates in the Newark Basin watershed, underlain by the Triassic Brunswick Formation — a sequence of arkosic sandstones, shales, and mudstones deposited in rift basins during the breakup of Pangaea. This confined aquifer's interbedded red beds and conglomerates contribute calcium and magnesium through prolonged groundwater contact with fractures and porous zones, producing a hard supply prone to elevated dissolved solids from both silicate and carbonate dissolution. No surface reservoirs supplement the groundwater extraction.

Very hard water in Ridgewood promotes heavy limescale buildup in water heaters, dishwashers, coffee makers, and washing machines, often requiring descaling every 3–6 months. Faucet aerators and showerheads clog quickly, reducing water pressure. Installing sediment pre-filters and periodic vinegar flushes are recommended; a whole-house water softener is strongly advised to extend appliance life and improve soap efficiency. The 2025 Consumer Confidence Report confirms compliance with all standards — lead at a 90th-percentile of 6.28 PPB, well below the 15 PPB action level. Six contaminants exceeded EPA aesthetic guidelines, mainly haloacetic acids and trihalomethanes from disinfection byproducts. Water may show discoloration from minerals.