New Jersey will become the first state in the union to set hard caps on both PFOA and PFNA, two potentially dangerous chemicals that are often found in New Jersey drinking water.

The New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection has accepted the standard of standard of 14 parts per trillion (ppt) for PFOA, or perfluorooctanoic acid, that was proposed by the state's Drinking Water Quality Institute in March. The PFNA standard will be 13 ppt.

The adoption of formal "maximum contaminant levels," as the thresholds are known, "will require water companies and utilities to monitor routinely and take corrective actions, such as installing treatment systems, if warranted," according to a statement from the NJDEP.

BAD BEHAVIOR:Shore judge exhibited fits of rage, racism, sexism, his boss says

#NJgov:Here's how Murphy, Guadagno's property tax bills compare to yours

CHILDREN'S HEALTH:Risk of lead-laden water remains in NJ schools

PFOA is a man-made chemical that was used for decades in cookware and fabric coatings. A close relative, PFNA was used in the production of polymers.

Studies have linked exposure to PFOA over certain levels to developmental problems for fetuses and infants, an increased risk of some cancers and damage to the liver and immune system. Learn more about the dangers of PFOA in the video above.

SCHOOLS:NJ school faces $7K in fines over asbestos

PFOA was eliminated from new American products 15 years ago and then globally five years later.

But PFOA does not break down in the environment, so the chemical is everywhere. Practically every person has PFOA in their bloodstream, although the levels have been decreasing, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

Only a few home filtration systems have been certified as removing PFOA from water, according to the consumer accreditation organization NSF International.

The Environmental Working Group released a report this summer that showed, among other findings, PFOA was more prevalent in New Jersey tap water than any other state.

AMAZON HQ2:NJ buzzes Bezos with banner plane

Some 1.6 million New Jerseyans were served by a utility that detected at least 1 ppt of PFOA in their water, according to the data.

Ten years ago, New Jersey was the first state to issue guidance for PFOA — at 40 ppt — although it carried no penalties for violations. The EPA issued its own nonenforceable guideline of 70 ppt last year.

“Setting protective standards for these contaminants continues New Jersey’s long tradition of being a national leader in using strong science to ensure residents receive the highest quality drinking water," NJDEP commissioner Bob Martin said Wednesday morning during a news conference at the headquarters of New Jersey American Water in Voorhees.

MORE:4 million Americans could be drinking toxic water and would never know

YOUR TAP:Half the people in NJ drink water from a troubled utility

Russ Zimmer: 732-557-5748, razimmer@app.com