Our Process
Services
Plumbing
Tankless Water Heater
Drain Cleaning
Toilet Repair
Faucet Repair
Sink Installation & Repair
Garbage Disposal
Sump Pump Installation
Sewer Line Repair/Replacement
Boiler Repair Installation
Water Heater Repair
Water Heater Replacement
HALO Water Filtration
Gas Line Piping
Showers/Bathtubs
Piping/Repiping
HVAC
AC Repair
Heating Installation
Heater Service Plans
Furnace Repair
Furnace Installation
Furnace Tune-Up
Smart Thermostats Installation
Humidifier Installation
Ductless HVAC Systems
Air Quality Solutions
HVAC
About Us
Membership
Financing
Reviews
Blog
Contact
Call (609) 465-3759
<style> :root { --black: #111111; --navy: #282E69; --navy-dk: #1e2350; --grey: #6D6E70; --white: #ffffff; --grey-lt: #eef1f7; --grey-md: #e8e8e6; --grey-tx: #555555; --radius: 8px; } *, *::before, *::after { box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0; padding: 0; } /* ── Hero ── */ .wtw-hero { position: relative; overflow: hidden; background: var(--black); padding: 160px 24px 100px; } .wtw-hero::before { content: ''; position: absolute; inset: 0; background: radial-gradient(ellipse at 50% 0%, rgba(40,46,105,0.55) 0%, transparent 70%); pointer-events: none; z-index: 1; } .wtw-hero__img { position: absolute; inset: 0; width: 100%; height: 100%; object-fit: cover; object-position: center 40%; opacity: 0.32; z-index: 0; } .wtw-hero__content { position: relative; z-index: 2; max-width: 800px; margin: 0 auto; text-align: center; } .wtw-eyebrow { display: inline-flex; align-items: center; gap: 12px; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; font-weight: 700; letter-spacing: 0.12em; text-transform: uppercase; color: rgba(255,255,255,0.7); margin-bottom: 20px; } .wtw-eyebrow::before, .wtw-eyebrow::after { content: ''; display: block; width: 32px; height: 1px; background: rgba(255,255,255,0.5); } .wtw-hero h1 { font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: clamp(30px, 4.5vw, 52px); font-weight: 700; color: var(--white); line-height: 1.1; letter-spacing: -0.02em; margin-bottom: 20px; } .wtw-hero__meta { font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; color: rgba(255,255,255,0.5); margin: 0; } /* ── Article layout ── */ .wtw-outer { background: var(--white); } .wtw-layout { display: grid; grid-template-columns: minmax(0, 1fr) 300px; gap: 48px; max-width: 1200px; margin: 0 auto; padding: 80px 24px; } /* ── Prose ── */ .wtw-prose h2 { font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 26px; font-weight: 700; color: var(--black); line-height: 1.25; margin: 48px 0 16px; scroll-margin-top: 100px; } .wtw-prose h2:first-child { margin-top: 0; } .wtw-prose h3 { font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 19px; font-weight: 700; color: var(--black); margin: 32px 0 12px; scroll-margin-top: 100px; } .wtw-prose p { font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 17px; line-height: 1.75; color: var(--grey-tx); margin-bottom: 20px; } .wtw-prose ul, .wtw-prose ol { font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 17px; line-height: 1.75; color: var(--grey-tx); padding-left: 24px; margin-bottom: 20px; } .wtw-prose li { margin-bottom: 8px; } .wtw-prose a { color: var(--navy); font-weight: 700; } .wtw-prose a:hover { color: var(--navy-dk); } .wtw-source-note { font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: italic; color: var(--grey); margin-bottom: 24px; } .wtw-prose .wtw-inline-cta { margin: 32px 0; } .wtw-prose .wtw-inline-cta a { display: inline-block; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; font-weight: 700; color: var(--white); background: var(--navy); padding: 12px 24px; border-radius: var(--radius); text-decoration: none; transition: background 0.2s; } .wtw-prose .wtw-inline-cta a:hover { background: var(--navy-dk); } /* ── Callout ── */ .wtw-callout { background: var(--grey-lt); border-left: 3px solid var(--navy); border-radius: 0 var(--radius) var(--radius) 0; padding: 20px 24px; margin: 28px 0; } .wtw-callout p { font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 1.65; color: var(--grey-tx); margin: 0; } .wtw-callout p + p { margin-top: 14px; } /* ── Data tables ── */ .wtw-table-wrap { overflow-x: auto; margin: 20px 0 32px; } .wtw-table { width: 100%; border-collapse: collapse; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; min-width: 460px; } .wtw-table caption { text-align: left; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; font-weight: 700; letter-spacing: 0.04em; text-transform: uppercase; color: var(--grey); margin-bottom: 10px; } .wtw-table th { background: var(--navy); color: var(--white); padding: 11px 16px; text-align: left; font-weight: 700; font-size: 13px; } .wtw-table td { padding: 11px 16px; border-bottom: 1px solid var(--grey-md); color: var(--grey-tx); vertical-align: top; line-height: 1.5; } .wtw-table tr:last-child td { border-bottom: none; } .wtw-table tr:nth-child(even) td { background: var(--grey-lt); } .wtw-table td.wtw-contaminant { font-weight: 700; color: var(--black); } .wtw-table td.wtw-yes { color: var(--navy); font-weight: 700; } .wtw-table td.wtw-no { color: var(--grey); } /* ── HALO tier cards ── */ .wtw-tier-grid { display: grid; grid-template-columns: repeat(2, 1fr); gap: 16px; margin: 24px 0 28px; } .wtw-tier-card { background: var(--grey-lt); border-radius: var(--radius); padding: 20px 22px; } .wtw-tier-label { display: block; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; font-weight: 700; letter-spacing: 0.08em; text-transform: uppercase; color: var(--navy); margin-bottom: 6px; } .wtw-tier-card h4 { font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 17px; font-weight: 700; color: var(--black); margin-bottom: 8px; } .wtw-tier-card p { font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14.5px; line-height: 1.6; color: var(--grey-tx); margin: 0; } /* ── Sidebar ── */ .wtw-sidebar { position: sticky; top: 32px; align-self: start; } .wtw-toc { background: var(--grey-lt); border-radius: var(--radius); padding: 24px; margin-bottom: 24px; } .wtw-toc__label { font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; font-weight: 700; letter-spacing: 0.1em; text-transform: uppercase; color: var(--grey); margin-bottom: 16px; } .wtw-toc nav a { display: block; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; color: var(--grey-tx); text-decoration: none; padding: 6px 0; border-bottom: 1px solid var(--grey-md); line-height: 1.4; transition: color 0.15s; } .wtw-toc nav a:last-child { border-bottom: none; } .wtw-toc nav a:hover, .wtw-toc nav a.toc-active { color: var(--navy); } .wtw-toc nav a.toc-active { font-weight: 700; } .wtw-service-card { background: var(--white); border: 1.5px solid var(--grey-md); border-radius: var(--radius); padding: 24px; margin-bottom: 24px; transition: border-color 0.2s, transform 0.2s; } .wtw-service-card:hover { border-color: rgba(40,46,105,0.2); transform: translateY(-2px); } .wtw-service-card h3 { font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 700; color: var(--black); margin-bottom: 8px; } .wtw-service-card p { font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; color: var(--grey-tx); line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 16px; } .wtw-service-card a { display: block; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-weight: 700; color: var(--white); background: var(--navy); padding: 10px 16px; border-radius: var(--radius); text-decoration: none; text-align: center; transition: background 0.2s; } .wtw-service-card a:hover { background: var(--navy-dk); } .wtw-phone-card { background: var(--grey-lt); border-radius: var(--radius); padding: 20px 24px; text-align: center; } .wtw-phone-card__label { display: block; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; font-weight: 700; letter-spacing: 0.08em; text-transform: uppercase; color: var(--grey); margin-bottom: 8px; } .wtw-phone-card a { font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 20px; font-weight: 700; color: var(--navy); text-decoration: none; } .wtw-phone-card a:hover { color: var(--navy-dk); } .wtw-sidebar-spacer { width: 300px; } /* ── Mid-page CTA band ── */ .wtw-cta-mid { background: var(--navy); padding: 64px 24px; text-align: center; } .wtw-cta-mid__headline { font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 28px; font-weight: 700; color: var(--white); margin-bottom: 12px; } .wtw-cta-mid__sub { font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; color: rgba(255,255,255,0.8); margin-bottom: 32px; } .wtw-cta-mid__btn { display: inline-block; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 700; color: var(--navy); background: var(--white); padding: 14px 32px; border-radius: var(--radius); text-decoration: none; transition: opacity 0.2s; } .wtw-cta-mid__btn:hover { opacity: 0.9; } /* ── FAQ ── */ .wtw-faq { background: var(--grey-lt); padding: 80px 24px; } .wtw-faq__inner { max-width: 800px; margin: 0 auto; } .wtw-section-eyebrow { display: inline-flex; align-items: center; gap: 12px; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; font-weight: 700; letter-spacing: 0.12em; text-transform: uppercase; color: var(--navy); margin-bottom: 16px; } .wtw-section-eyebrow::before, .wtw-section-eyebrow::after { content: ''; display: block; width: 32px; height: 1px; background: var(--navy); } .wtw-faq__title { font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 32px; font-weight: 700; color: var(--black); margin-bottom: 40px; } .wtw-faq-item { border-bottom: 1px solid var(--grey-md); } .wtw-faq-item:first-of-type { border-top: 1px solid var(--grey-md); } .wtw-faq-btn { width: 100%; background: none; border: none; cursor: pointer; text-align: left; padding: 20px 40px 20px 0; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 17px; font-weight: 700; color: var(--black); line-height: 1.4; position: relative; } .wtw-faq-btn::after { content: '+'; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 50%; transform: translateY(-50%); font-size: 24px; font-weight: 400; color: var(--navy); } .wtw-faq-btn[aria-expanded="true"]::after { content: '\2212'; } .wtw-faq-answer { padding-bottom: 20px; } .wtw-faq-answer p { font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 1.7; color: var(--grey-tx); margin: 0; } /* ── Related services ── */ .wtw-related { background: var(--white); padding: 80px 24px; } .wtw-related__inner { max-width: 1200px; margin: 0 auto; } .wtw-related__title { font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 32px; font-weight: 700; color: var(--black); margin-bottom: 40px; } .wtw-related__grid { display: grid; grid-template-columns: repeat(auto-fit, minmax(240px, 1fr)); gap: 24px; } .wtw-related-card { background: var(--white); border: 1.5px solid var(--grey-md); border-radius: var(--radius); padding: 28px 24px; transition: border-color 0.2s, transform 0.2s; } .wtw-related-card:hover { border-color: rgba(40,46,105,0.2); transform: translateY(-2px); } .wtw-related-card h3 { font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 18px; font-weight: 700; color: var(--black); margin-bottom: 10px; } .wtw-related-card p { font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; color: var(--grey-tx); line-height: 1.6; margin-bottom: 20px; } .wtw-related-card a { font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-weight: 700; color: var(--navy); text-decoration: none; } .wtw-related-card a:hover { color: var(--navy-dk); } /* ── Footer band ── */ .wtw-footer-band { background: var(--black); padding: 64px 24px; text-align: center; } .wtw-footer-band__tagline { font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; letter-spacing: 0.15em; text-transform: uppercase; color: rgba(255,255,255,0.5); margin-bottom: 16px; } .wtw-footer-band a { font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 28px; font-weight: 700; color: var(--white); text-decoration: none; } .wtw-footer-band a:hover { color: rgba(255,255,255,0.85); } /* ── Responsive ── */ @media (max-width: 768px) { .wtw-layout { grid-template-columns: 1fr; padding: 48px 20px; } .wtw-sidebar, .wtw-sidebar-spacer { display: none; } .wtw-tier-grid { grid-template-columns: 1fr; } } @media (max-width: 640px) { .wtw-hero { padding: 140px 20px 80px; } .wtw-hero h1 { font-size: 30px; } .wtw-cta-mid__headline { font-size: 22px; } .wtw-faq__title, .wtw-related__title { font-size: 26px; } } </style> <!-- HERO --> <section class="wtw-hero"> <img class="wtw-hero__img" src="https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/650cd965726009dccb50a827/6a8dad1205a3dd32ecaa5d6c_woman%20refiling%20water%20from%20tap.png" alt="Filling a glass of water from a kitchen tap"> <div class="wtw-hero__content"> <span class="wtw-eyebrow">Water Quality</span> <h1>What’s Actually in Your Water? Real Reports for 3 South Jersey Towns</h1> <p class="wtw-hero__meta">August 27, 2026 · 10 min read · Budd’s Plumbing | Heating | Cooling</p> </div> </section> <!-- ARTICLE — TOP (intro + How to Find + Is It Safe + sidebar) --> <section class="wtw-outer"> <div class="wtw-layout"> <main class="wtw-prose" id="wtw-article-top"> <p>Every town’s tap water is a little different — even towns a few miles apart, drawing from the same regional groundwater, can show different results on their water quality report. We pulled the real, publicly filed reports for three South Jersey shore towns — Stone Harbor, Avalon, and Cape May Court House — sourced directly from each town’s own water utility and cross-checked against the Environmental Working Group’s (EWG) Tap Water Database.</p> <p>Here’s what’s actually in your water if you live in one of these three towns, and how to look up your own water quality report if you don’t.</p> <h2 id="how-to-find">How to Find Your Town’s Water Quality Report</h2> <p>If your town isn’t one of the three covered below, you can still find your own water quality report in two places.</p> <p><strong>EWG’s Tap Water Database.</strong> The Environmental Working Group compiles utility test results filed with state environmental agencies into a searchable database at <a href="https://www.ewg.org/tapwater/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">ewg.org/tapwater</a>. Enter your zip code and you’ll see every contaminant your utility tested for, the amount detected, how it compares to the legal limit, and how it compares to EWG’s own health guideline — which, as the next section explains, is a different number from the legal limit.</p> <p><strong>Your utility’s Consumer Confidence Report (CCR).</strong> Every public water utility is required to publish an annual water quality report, usually called a Consumer Confidence Report, covering the same underlying test data in its own format. It’s typically posted on the utility’s website or mailed to customers once a year.</p> <p>Both sources report the same underlying facts. EWG’s database is generally easier to search and layers its own stricter health-guideline comparison on top of the legal limit — which is exactly the distinction the next section explains, before we get into any specific town’s numbers.</p> <h2 id="is-it-safe">Is Cape May County Tap Water Safe to Drink?</h2> <p>Yes — in the legal sense. Municipal water throughout Cape May County, like the rest of New Jersey, is treated and tested against U.S. EPA and New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection legal limits under the federal Safe Drinking Water Act. Every number in this article comes from public test results each utility files with the state.</p> <p>But there’s a second, stricter standard worth understanding before you look at any town’s numbers below. The Environmental Working Group publishes its own health guidelines, built from more recent research than some of the older legal limits still in use. EWG’s guideline for a given contaminant is often lower — sometimes much lower — than the legal limit for that same contaminant.</p> <p>That gap matters for how to read everything that follows. When we say a contaminant is “above EWG’s guideline” in a town’s report, we mean it exceeds that stricter, research-based benchmark — not that it fails to meet the legal standard New Jersey’s public water systems are actually held to. The EWG comparison is a second, more conservative lens layered on top of a legal limit that’s already being met. Keep that distinction in mind as you read the three town reports below.</p> </main> <!-- SIDEBAR --> <aside class="wtw-sidebar"> <div class="wtw-toc"> <p class="wtw-toc__label">In This Article</p> <nav aria-label="Article contents"> <a href="#how-to-find">How to Find Your Report</a> <a href="#is-it-safe">Is Cape May County’s Water Safe?</a> <a href="#stone-harbor">Stone Harbor</a> <a href="#avalon">Avalon</a> <a href="#cape-may-court-house">Cape May Court House</a> <a href="#the-pattern">The Pattern Across All 3 Towns</a> <a href="#which-halo-system">Which HALO System Fits</a> </nav> </div> <div class="wtw-service-card"> <h3>Have a question about your own water?</h3> <p>Budd’s installs HALO whole-house and drinking-water filtration systems throughout Cape May County and Atlantic County, NJ.</p> <a href="https://www.buddsplumbing.com/contact-us">Request Service</a> </div> <div class="wtw-phone-card"> <span class="wtw-phone-card__label">Call us directly</span> <a href="tel:+16094653759">(609) 465-3759</a> </div> </aside> </div> </section> <!-- MID-PAGE CTA BAND --> <section class="wtw-cta-mid"> <p class="wtw-cta-mid__headline">Want a straight answer for your own home?</p> <p class="wtw-cta-mid__sub">Licensed and local, serving Cape May County and Atlantic County, NJ.</p> <a class="wtw-cta-mid__btn" href="tel:+16094653759">Call (609) 465-3759</a> </section> <!-- ARTICLE — LOWER (3 town reports + pattern + HALO systems + sidebar spacer) --> <section class="wtw-outer"> <div class="wtw-layout"> <div class="wtw-prose" id="wtw-article-lower"> <h2 id="stone-harbor">What We Found in Stone Harbor’s Water</h2> <p class="wtw-source-note">Source: Stone Harbor Water Department’s own test results, 2014–2023.</p> <p>Stone Harbor’s report shows 15 total contaminants detected across that period. Ten of them come in above EWG’s health guideline — and every one of the ten is addressed by either activated carbon filtration or reverse osmosis. That’s a clean result for Stone Harbor specifically: whichever filtration technology a household chooses, it covers the full above-guideline list.</p> <div class="wtw-table-wrap"> <table class="wtw-table"> <caption>Contaminants above EWG’s health guideline (10)</caption> <thead> <tr><th>Contaminant</th><th>Activated Carbon</th><th>Reverse Osmosis</th></tr> </thead> <tbody> <tr><td class="wtw-contaminant">Bromodichloromethane</td><td class="wtw-yes">Reduces</td><td class="wtw-yes">Reduces</td></tr> <tr><td class="wtw-contaminant">Bromoform</td><td class="wtw-yes">Reduces</td><td class="wtw-yes">Reduces</td></tr> <tr><td class="wtw-contaminant">Chloroform</td><td class="wtw-yes">Reduces</td><td class="wtw-yes">Reduces</td></tr> <tr><td class="wtw-contaminant">Dibromoacetic Acid</td><td class="wtw-yes">Reduces</td><td class="wtw-yes">Reduces</td></tr> <tr><td class="wtw-contaminant">Dibromochloromethane</td><td class="wtw-yes">Reduces</td><td class="wtw-yes">Reduces</td></tr> <tr><td class="wtw-contaminant">Dichloroacetic Acid</td><td class="wtw-yes">Reduces</td><td class="wtw-yes">Reduces</td></tr> <tr><td class="wtw-contaminant">Haloacetic Acids (HAA5)</td><td class="wtw-yes">Reduces</td><td class="wtw-yes">Reduces</td></tr> <tr><td class="wtw-contaminant">Haloacetic Acids (HAA9)</td><td class="wtw-yes">Reduces</td><td class="wtw-yes">Reduces</td></tr> <tr><td class="wtw-contaminant">Total Trihalomethanes (TTHMs)</td><td class="wtw-yes">Reduces</td><td class="wtw-yes">Reduces</td></tr> <tr><td class="wtw-contaminant">Trichloroacetic Acid</td><td class="wtw-yes">Reduces</td><td class="wtw-yes">Reduces</td></tr> </tbody> </table> </div> <p>All ten are disinfection byproducts — a group of compounds that forms when the chlorine used to disinfect water reacts with naturally occurring organic matter. They show up on nearly every chlorinated groundwater system’s report in some form; there’s more on why in the pattern section below.</p> <p>Stone Harbor’s report also lists five contaminants below EWG’s guideline:</p> <div class="wtw-table-wrap"> <table class="wtw-table"> <caption>Other contaminants detected, below EWG’s guideline (5)</caption> <thead> <tr><th>Contaminant</th><th>Activated Carbon</th><th>Reverse Osmosis</th></tr> </thead> <tbody> <tr><td class="wtw-contaminant">Cyanide</td><td class="wtw-no">Does Not Reduce</td><td class="wtw-yes">Reduces</td></tr> <tr><td class="wtw-contaminant">Fluoride</td><td class="wtw-no">Does Not Reduce</td><td class="wtw-yes">Reduces</td></tr> <tr><td class="wtw-contaminant">Nitrate & Nitrite</td><td class="wtw-no">Does Not Reduce</td><td class="wtw-yes">Reduces</td></tr> <tr><td class="wtw-contaminant">Strontium</td><td class="wtw-no">Does Not Reduce</td><td class="wtw-yes">Reduces</td></tr> <tr><td class="wtw-contaminant">Manganese</td><td class="wtw-no">Does Not Reduce</td><td class="wtw-no">Does Not Reduce</td></tr> </tbody> </table> </div> <h2 id="avalon">What We Found in Avalon’s Water</h2> <p class="wtw-source-note">Source: Utility Service Affiliates (Avalon) Inc.’s test results, 2014–2024.</p> <p>Avalon’s report shows 17 total contaminants detected, 11 of them above EWG’s guideline. The same 10 disinfection byproducts from Stone Harbor’s report show up here too, and both activated carbon and reverse osmosis reduce all 10. Avalon’s report adds one more contaminant to the above-guideline list that Stone Harbor’s doesn’t have: combined radium (-226 and -228) — and activated carbon alone does not reduce it. Reverse osmosis does.</p> <div class="wtw-table-wrap"> <table class="wtw-table"> <caption>Contaminants above EWG’s health guideline (11)</caption> <thead> <tr><th>Contaminant</th><th>Activated Carbon</th><th>Reverse Osmosis</th></tr> </thead> <tbody> <tr><td class="wtw-contaminant">Bromodichloromethane</td><td class="wtw-yes">Reduces</td><td class="wtw-yes">Reduces</td></tr> <tr><td class="wtw-contaminant">Bromoform</td><td class="wtw-yes">Reduces</td><td class="wtw-yes">Reduces</td></tr> <tr><td class="wtw-contaminant">Chloroform</td><td class="wtw-yes">Reduces</td><td class="wtw-yes">Reduces</td></tr> <tr><td class="wtw-contaminant">Dibromoacetic Acid</td><td class="wtw-yes">Reduces</td><td class="wtw-yes">Reduces</td></tr> <tr><td class="wtw-contaminant">Dibromochloromethane</td><td class="wtw-yes">Reduces</td><td class="wtw-yes">Reduces</td></tr> <tr><td class="wtw-contaminant">Dichloroacetic Acid</td><td class="wtw-yes">Reduces</td><td class="wtw-yes">Reduces</td></tr> <tr><td class="wtw-contaminant">Haloacetic Acids (HAA5)</td><td class="wtw-yes">Reduces</td><td class="wtw-yes">Reduces</td></tr> <tr><td class="wtw-contaminant">Haloacetic Acids (HAA9)</td><td class="wtw-yes">Reduces</td><td class="wtw-yes">Reduces</td></tr> <tr><td class="wtw-contaminant">Total Trihalomethanes (TTHMs)</td><td class="wtw-yes">Reduces</td><td class="wtw-yes">Reduces</td></tr> <tr><td class="wtw-contaminant">Trichloroacetic Acid</td><td class="wtw-yes">Reduces</td><td class="wtw-yes">Reduces</td></tr> <tr><td class="wtw-contaminant">Radium (Combined -226 & -228)</td><td class="wtw-no">Does Not Reduce</td><td class="wtw-yes">Reduces</td></tr> </tbody> </table> </div> <p>Avalon’s report also lists six contaminants below EWG’s guideline:</p> <div class="wtw-table-wrap"> <table class="wtw-table"> <caption>Other contaminants detected, below EWG’s guideline (6)</caption> <thead> <tr><th>Contaminant</th><th>Activated Carbon</th><th>Reverse Osmosis</th></tr> </thead> <tbody> <tr><td class="wtw-contaminant">Bromochloromethane</td><td class="wtw-yes">Reduces</td><td class="wtw-yes">Reduces</td></tr> <tr><td class="wtw-contaminant">Chlorate</td><td class="wtw-no">Does Not Reduce</td><td class="wtw-no">Does Not Reduce</td></tr> <tr><td class="wtw-contaminant">Fluoride</td><td class="wtw-no">Does Not Reduce</td><td class="wtw-yes">Reduces</td></tr> <tr><td class="wtw-contaminant">Lithium</td><td class="wtw-no">Does Not Reduce</td><td class="wtw-yes">Reduces</td></tr> <tr><td class="wtw-contaminant">Strontium</td><td class="wtw-no">Does Not Reduce</td><td class="wtw-yes">Reduces</td></tr> <tr><td class="wtw-contaminant">Manganese</td><td class="wtw-no">Does Not Reduce</td><td class="wtw-no">Does Not Reduce</td></tr> </tbody> </table> </div> <h2 id="cape-may-court-house">What We Found in Cape May Court House’s Water</h2> <p class="wtw-source-note">Source: NJ American Water (Cape May Court House system), 2018–2024.</p> <p>Cape May Court House’s report shows 17 total contaminants detected, 11 above EWG’s guideline. As with Stone Harbor and Avalon, the same 10 disinfection byproducts appear here too, and both activated carbon and reverse osmosis reduce all 10. This town’s report adds arsenic to the above-guideline list — not radium, which doesn’t appear on Cape May Court House’s above-guideline list the way it does on Avalon’s. Activated carbon alone does not reduce arsenic; reverse osmosis does.</p> <div class="wtw-table-wrap"> <table class="wtw-table"> <caption>Contaminants above EWG’s health guideline (11)</caption> <thead> <tr><th>Contaminant</th><th>Activated Carbon</th><th>Reverse Osmosis</th></tr> </thead> <tbody> <tr><td class="wtw-contaminant">Bromodichloromethane</td><td class="wtw-yes">Reduces</td><td class="wtw-yes">Reduces</td></tr> <tr><td class="wtw-contaminant">Bromoform</td><td class="wtw-yes">Reduces</td><td class="wtw-yes">Reduces</td></tr> <tr><td class="wtw-contaminant">Chloroform</td><td class="wtw-yes">Reduces</td><td class="wtw-yes">Reduces</td></tr> <tr><td class="wtw-contaminant">Dibromoacetic Acid</td><td class="wtw-yes">Reduces</td><td class="wtw-yes">Reduces</td></tr> <tr><td class="wtw-contaminant">Dibromochloromethane</td><td class="wtw-yes">Reduces</td><td class="wtw-yes">Reduces</td></tr> <tr><td class="wtw-contaminant">Dichloroacetic Acid</td><td class="wtw-yes">Reduces</td><td class="wtw-yes">Reduces</td></tr> <tr><td class="wtw-contaminant">Haloacetic Acids (HAA5)</td><td class="wtw-yes">Reduces</td><td class="wtw-yes">Reduces</td></tr> <tr><td class="wtw-contaminant">Haloacetic Acids (HAA9)</td><td class="wtw-yes">Reduces</td><td class="wtw-yes">Reduces</td></tr> <tr><td class="wtw-contaminant">Total Trihalomethanes (TTHMs)</td><td class="wtw-yes">Reduces</td><td class="wtw-yes">Reduces</td></tr> <tr><td class="wtw-contaminant">Trichloroacetic Acid</td><td class="wtw-yes">Reduces</td><td class="wtw-yes">Reduces</td></tr> <tr><td class="wtw-contaminant">Arsenic</td><td class="wtw-no">Does Not Reduce</td><td class="wtw-yes">Reduces</td></tr> </tbody> </table> </div> <p>Cape May Court House’s report also lists six contaminants below EWG’s guideline:</p> <div class="wtw-table-wrap"> <table class="wtw-table"> <caption>Other contaminants detected, below EWG’s guideline (6)</caption> <thead> <tr><th>Contaminant</th><th>Activated Carbon</th><th>Reverse Osmosis</th></tr> </thead> <tbody> <tr><td class="wtw-contaminant">Aluminum</td><td class="wtw-no">Does Not Reduce</td><td class="wtw-yes">Reduces</td></tr> <tr><td class="wtw-contaminant">Fluoride</td><td class="wtw-no">Does Not Reduce</td><td class="wtw-yes">Reduces</td></tr> <tr><td class="wtw-contaminant">Nitrate</td><td class="wtw-no">Does Not Reduce</td><td class="wtw-yes">Reduces</td></tr> <tr><td class="wtw-contaminant">Nitrate & Nitrite</td><td class="wtw-no">Does Not Reduce</td><td class="wtw-yes">Reduces</td></tr> <tr><td class="wtw-contaminant">Selenium</td><td class="wtw-no">Does Not Reduce</td><td class="wtw-yes">Reduces</td></tr> <tr><td class="wtw-contaminant">Manganese</td><td class="wtw-no">Does Not Reduce</td><td class="wtw-no">Does Not Reduce</td></tr> </tbody> </table> </div> <h2 id="the-pattern">The Pattern Across All Three Towns</h2> <p>Line the three reports up and a clear pattern emerges. In Stone Harbor, activated carbon alone handles every contaminant on the above-guideline list. In Avalon and Cape May Court House, one contaminant each — radium and arsenic — is only addressed by reverse osmosis; activated carbon alone doesn’t reduce it. And manganese shows up on all three towns’ reports without being reduced by either technology.</p> <p>The genuinely useful takeaway isn’t “get a filter” — it’s that which filtration technology actually matters depends on your specific town’s report, not just on wanting better water in general. A whole-house carbon system and an under-sink reverse osmosis system solve overlapping but different problems.</p> <div class="wtw-callout"> <p>All three utilities draw from groundwater, which is the common thread behind the disinfection byproducts dominating every above-guideline list here. Chlorine is added to disinfect groundwater before it reaches your tap, and it reacts with naturally occurring organic matter in the ground to form the trihalomethanes and haloacetic acids that make up most of these lists.</p> <p>That’s a predictable byproduct of how chlorinated groundwater systems generally work — not a sign of a problem specific to any one of these three towns.</p> </div> <h2 id="which-halo-system">Which HALO System Addresses What You Found</h2> <p>Two technologies cover everything found above: activated carbon and reverse osmosis. Budd’s installs HALO systems built around both, in four configurations — from a simple under-counter filter to combined whole-house-plus-drinking-water treatment. None of the descriptions below include pricing; request a free quote for cost specific to your home.</p> <div class="wtw-tier-grid"> <div class="wtw-tier-card"> <span class="wtw-tier-label">Good</span> <h4>Hydro Point (2-Stage Under-Counter)</h4> <p>Point-of-use filtration at the kitchen faucet. Filters to 0.5 micron and includes built-in leak detection that shuts off water automatically.</p> </div> <div class="wtw-tier-card"> <span class="wtw-tier-label">Better</span> <h4>Ultra+ (Reverse Osmosis)</h4> <p>Under-sink RO producing purified, alkaline drinking water. Reduces fluoride, PFAS, and PFOS, and includes the same built-in leak-detection shutoff as the Hydro Point. NSF/ANSI Standard 58 certified.</p> </div> <div class="wtw-tier-card"> <span class="wtw-tier-label">Best</span> <h4>H2 Zero Ultimate (Whole House)</h4> <p>Budd’s core carbon-based whole-house system, treating water at every tap. Zero electricity, no backwash, no added chemicals, backed by a 10-year warranty.</p> </div> <div class="wtw-tier-card"> <span class="wtw-tier-label">Premium</span> <h4>Ultra+ RO + H2 Zero Ultimate Combined</h4> <p>Whole-house filtration plus purified drinking water in one package. The RO component carries a 2-year warranty.</p> </div> </div> <p>Want the deeper walkthrough? <a href="/halo-water-filtration">See the full HALO Whole House Water Filtration system Budd’s installs</a>, or <a href="/post/halo-water-filtration-team-training">read what our team learned at HALO’s product training</a>.</p> <p>If your town’s report raises a question about your own water, ask Budd’s which HALO option fits your home.</p> <div class="wtw-inline-cta"> <a href="https://www.buddsplumbing.com/halo-water-filtration#water-filtration-estimate">Request a Free Water Quality Consultation</a> </div> <p>Stone Harbor, Avalon, and Cape May Court House are the three towns we’ve pulled full water quality reports for so far — not the only towns in Budd’s service area. We’re building out more as additional local utility data becomes available across Cape May and Atlantic County.</p> </div> <!-- Spacer preserves column alignment with upper grid --> <div class="wtw-sidebar-spacer" aria-hidden="true"></div> </div> </section> <!-- FAQ SECTION --> <section class="wtw-faq"> <div class="wtw-faq__inner"> <span class="wtw-section-eyebrow">Common Questions</span> <h2 class="wtw-faq__title">Frequently Asked Questions</h2> <div class="wtw-faq-item"> <button class="wtw-faq-btn" aria-expanded="false" aria-controls="wtw-faq-answer-1" id="wtw-faq-btn-1"> How can I find out the water quality in my area? </button> <div class="wtw-faq-answer" id="wtw-faq-answer-1" role="region" aria-labelledby="wtw-faq-btn-1"> <p>Two places to check: the Environmental Working Group’s Tap Water Database (ewg.org/tapwater), where you can search by zip code to see what your utility’s own test results show against both EPA’s legal limits and EWG’s stricter health guidelines, and your water utility’s annual Consumer Confidence Report (CCR), a public document every utility is required to publish each year.</p> </div> </div> <div class="wtw-faq-item"> <button class="wtw-faq-btn" aria-expanded="false" aria-controls="wtw-faq-answer-2" id="wtw-faq-btn-2"> Can you drink the tap water in Cape May? </button> <div class="wtw-faq-answer" id="wtw-faq-answer-2" role="region" aria-labelledby="wtw-faq-btn-2"> <p>Yes. Public water systems throughout Cape May County are treated and tested to meet EPA and New Jersey legal limits. Some local towns’ reports show individual contaminants above EWG’s stricter, research-based health guideline — that’s a different, non-legal benchmark, not a reflection of whether the water meets the legal standard it’s actually held to.</p> </div> </div> <div class="wtw-faq-item"> <button class="wtw-faq-btn" aria-expanded="false" aria-controls="wtw-faq-answer-3" id="wtw-faq-btn-3"> How do I check a water quality report? </button> <div class="wtw-faq-answer" id="wtw-faq-answer-3" role="region" aria-labelledby="wtw-faq-btn-3"> <p>Go to ewg.org/tapwater and enter your zip code, or search your utility’s name plus “Consumer Confidence Report.” Both sources list every contaminant your utility tested for, the amount detected, and how that compares to the legal limit and, on EWG’s site, to EWG’s stricter health guideline.</p> </div> </div> <div class="wtw-faq-item"> <button class="wtw-faq-btn" aria-expanded="false" aria-controls="wtw-faq-answer-4" id="wtw-faq-btn-4"> Is New Jersey water safe to drink? </button> <div class="wtw-faq-answer" id="wtw-faq-answer-4" role="region" aria-labelledby="wtw-faq-btn-4"> <p>Yes. New Jersey’s public water systems are regulated under the federal Safe Drinking Water Act and tested against EPA and state legal limits. Meeting those legal limits is a different standard than EWG’s stricter, research-based health guidelines — a report can show a contaminant above EWG’s guideline while the water still meets the legal standard it’s held to.</p> </div> </div> </div> </section> <!-- RELATED SERVICES --> <section class="wtw-related"> <div class="wtw-related__inner"> <span class="wtw-section-eyebrow">Related Services</span> <h2 class="wtw-related__title">More from Budd’s</h2> <div class="wtw-related__grid"> <div class="wtw-related-card"> <h3>Halo Water Filtration</h3> <p>The full product overview for HALO whole house filtration systems — how they work and how to get started.</p> <a href="/halo-water-filtration">Learn more →</a> </div> <div class="wtw-related-card"> <h3>Halo Product Training</h3> <p>What our team learned at HALO’s in-person training, covering the full product line beyond just whole-house filtration.</p> <a href="/post/halo-water-filtration-team-training">Learn more →</a> </div> <div class="wtw-related-card"> <h3>Smart Leak Monitoring</h3> <p>The same leak-detection shutoff built into HALO’s Hydro Point and Ultra+ tiers, explained in more depth — and why it can matter for your insurance.</p> <a href="/post/prevent-water-damage-smart-leak-system">Learn more →</a> </div> </div> </div> </section> <!-- FOOTER CTA BAND --> <section class="wtw-footer-band"> <p class="wtw-footer-band__tagline">Faith · Craftsmanship · Accountability</p> <a href="tel:+16094653759">(609) 465-3759</a> </section> <!-- FAQ ACCORDION — answers hidden by default via JS --> <script> (function () { var items = document.querySelectorAll('.wtw-faq-item'); items.forEach(function (item) { var btn = item.querySelector('.wtw-faq-btn'); var panel = item.querySelector('.wtw-faq-answer'); if (!btn || !panel) return; panel.hidden = true; btn.setAttribute('aria-expanded', 'false'); btn.addEventListener('click', function () { var open = btn.getAttribute('aria-expanded') === 'true'; btn.setAttribute('aria-expanded', open ? 'false' : 'true'); panel.hidden = open; }); }); }()); </script> <!-- TOC ACTIVE HIGHLIGHT — progressive enhancement via IntersectionObserver --> <script> (function () { if (!('IntersectionObserver' in window)) return; var links = document.querySelectorAll('.wtw-toc nav a'); var headings = document.querySelectorAll('#wtw-article-top h2, #wtw-article-lower h2'); if (!links.length || !headings.length) return; var io = new IntersectionObserver(function (entries) { entries.forEach(function (entry) { if (!entry.isIntersecting) return; links.forEach(function (l) { l.classList.remove('toc-active'); }); var match = document.querySelector('.wtw-toc nav a[href="#' + entry.target.id + '"]'); if (match) match.classList.add('toc-active'); }); }, { rootMargin: '-20% 0px -70% 0px' }); headings.forEach(function (h) { io.observe(h); }); }()); </script> <!-- JSON-LD SCHEMA — valid in <body>; Google accepts it anywhere in the document. "image" intentionally omitted from BlogPosting — no image asset was provided or found for this post; add one once a Main Image is selected in the CMS. --> <script type="application/ld+json"> { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "BlogPosting", "headline": "What's Actually in Your Water? Real Reports for 3 South Jersey Towns", "description": "We pulled the real water quality reports for Stone Harbor, Avalon, and Cape May Court House. See what's actually in your town's water — and which filtration option addresses it.", "datePublished": "2026-08-27", "dateModified": "2026-08-27", "url": "https://www.buddsplumbing.com/post/whats-actually-in-your-towns-water", "image": "https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/650cd965726009dccb50a827/6a8dad1205a3dd32ecaa5d6c_woman%20refiling%20water%20from%20tap.png", "mainEntityOfPage": { "@id": "https://www.buddsplumbing.com/post/whats-actually-in-your-towns-water" }, "author": { "@type": "Organization", "name": "Budd's Plumbing | Heating | Cooling" }, "publisher": { "@id": "https://www.buddsplumbing.com/#business" } }, { "@type": ["LocalBusiness", "Plumber"], "@id": "https://www.buddsplumbing.com/#business", "name": "Budd's Plumbing | Heating | Cooling", "url": "https://www.buddsplumbing.com", "telephone": "+1-609-465-3759", "address": { "@type": "PostalAddress", "streetAddress": "1011 Rte 9 S", "addressLocality": "Cape May Court House", "addressRegion": "NJ", "postalCode": "08210", "addressCountry": "US" } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://www.buddsplumbing.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Blog", "item": "https://www.buddsplumbing.com/blog" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "What's Actually in Your Water? Real Reports for 3 South Jersey Towns", "item": "https://www.buddsplumbing.com/post/whats-actually-in-your-towns-water" } ] }, { "@type": "WebPage", "name": "What's Actually in Your Water? Real Reports for 3 South Jersey Towns", "url": "https://www.buddsplumbing.com/post/whats-actually-in-your-towns-water", "description": "We pulled the real water quality reports for Stone Harbor, Avalon, and Cape May Court House. See what's actually in your town's water — and which filtration option addresses it." }, { "@type": "FAQPage", "mainEntity": [ { "@type": "Question", "name": "How can I find out the water quality in my area?", "acceptedAnswer": { "@type": "Answer", "text": "Two places to check: the Environmental Working Group's Tap Water Database (ewg.org/tapwater), where you can search by zip code to see what your utility's own test results show against both EPA's legal limits and EWG's stricter health guidelines, and your water utility's annual Consumer Confidence Report (CCR), a public document every utility is required to publish each year." } }, { "@type": "Question", "name": "Can you drink the tap water in Cape May?", "acceptedAnswer": { "@type": "Answer", "text": "Yes. Public water systems throughout Cape May County are treated and tested to meet EPA and New Jersey legal limits. Some local towns' reports show individual contaminants above EWG's stricter, research-based health guideline — that's a different, non-legal benchmark, not a reflection of whether the water meets the legal standard it's actually held to." } }, { "@type": "Question", "name": "How do I check a water quality report?", "acceptedAnswer": { "@type": "Answer", "text": "Go to ewg.org/tapwater and enter your zip code, or search your utility's name plus \"Consumer Confidence Report.\" Both sources list every contaminant your utility tested for, the amount detected, and how that compares to the legal limit and, on EWG's site, to EWG's stricter health guideline." } }, { "@type": "Question", "name": "Is New Jersey water safe to drink?", "acceptedAnswer": { "@type": "Answer", "text": "Yes. New Jersey's public water systems are regulated under the federal Safe Drinking Water Act and tested against EPA and state legal limits. Meeting those legal limits is a different standard than EWG's stricter, research-based health guidelines — a report can show a contaminant above EWG's guideline while the water still meets the legal standard it's held to." } } ] } ] } </script>