What forms of arsenic are found in New Jersey well water?
In New Jersey well water there are two common forms of arsenic that need to be removed by water treatment, Arsenic 3 and Arsenic 5.
Arsenic 3 is much more difficult to remove from well water than Arsenic 5 because Arsenic 3 has a neutral charge.
There is no simple and affordable test commercially available to determine which arsenic species is present so the species of arsenic present is usually unknown, though there is a rule of thumb that can help (See FAQ below).
The New Jersey Geological and Water Survey estimates that 20% of New Jersey wells with arsenic above the Maximum Contaminant Limit (MCL) of 5 micrograms/liter (mcg/L) have significant concentrations of Arsenic 3.