Choose your tests
Your well's age, location, and household set the list. The free selector below does this in a few questions.
Private well testing, explained
Know exactly what's in your well water.
Over 23 million U.S. households rely on private wells - and no utility tests them for you. Get our free annual testing checklist and know what to test, when.
Free. We guarantee 100% privacy. Your information will not be shared.
Guidance based on EPA, CDC, and state health department recommendations
U.S. EPA - Private Wells CDC - Healthy Water State health departments
Every recommendation on this site cites a primary source. WellWater HQ is independent and not affiliated with or endorsed by these agencies.
The problem
Private wells have no municipal oversight.
If your water comes from a city main, a utility tests it constantly and publishes the results. A private well has no such safety net. The federal Safe Drinking Water Act sets legal limits for public water systems - but it does not apply to private wells.
Arsenic leaching from bedrock, nitrate from fertilizer and septic runoff, lead from older plumbing, PFAS from industrial sites - all are invisible, tasteless, and odorless at levels that matter. A lab test is the only way to know.
Sources: US EPA - Private Drinking Water Wells - CDC - Private Wells
What labs measure against
Five contaminants every well owner should know, and the federal reference levels a certified lab will compare your results to.
Total coliform & E. coliSeptic seepage, surface water, well defects
EPA standard - absentNitrate (as N)Fertilizer & septic runoff
10 mg/L - EPA MCLArsenicNatural bedrock deposits
10 ug/L - EPA MCLPFOA & PFOS (PFAS)Firefighting foam, industrial sites
4.0 ppt - EPA MCL (2024)LeadHousehold plumbing & solder
EPA goal - 0EPA maximum contaminant levels are legally enforceable only for public water systems - private wells aren't covered. Sources: EPA Drinking Water Regulations - EPA PFAS rule (2024)
Order a kit or book a lab
For results you'll act on, use a state-certified lab. Mail-in kits are fine when the analyzing lab is accredited.
Sample & ship same day
Follow the sterile-bottle instructions exactly - bacteria samples must reach the lab within about 24-30 hours.
Read results vs. EPA levels
Compare each line to the reference level, confirm anything elevated, and retest annually or after floods and repairs.
The Well Owner's Testing Schedule
Every year
- Total coliform & E. coli
- Nitrate / nitrite
- pH & total dissolved solids
Every 3-5 years
- Arsenic, lead & manganese
- Uranium & fluoride
- Hardness & iron
After floods, repairs, or changes
- Bacteria retest before drinking
- Anything that changed nearby
wellwaterhq - cites EPA & CDC guidance
Free download
The Well Owner's Testing Schedule
One printable page: what to test every year, what to test every 3-5 years, and what to retest after floods or repairs. Stick it on the pressure tank and stop guessing.
- Annual, 3-5 year, and after-event tests in one view
- Every line cites its EPA or CDC source
- Printer-friendly, with a log column for your results
Free. We guarantee 100% privacy. Your information will not be shared.
Go deeper - free
The Complete Well Water Handbook
The checklist tells you what to test. The handbook walks you through everything after the results arrive.
- Read a lab report line by line - units, MCLs, and what "detect" actually means
- Choose a state-certified lab and order the right panels the first time
- Match filtration to confirmed results - UV, RO, softeners, carbon, and what each treats
- Worksheets: a testing log and a treatment decision tree
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Free digital handbook
From lab report to fixed water - step by step
Free - no ads - no email required
Which tests does your well actually need?
Answer a few questions. Get a prioritized testing plan built from EPA and state guidance - not a one-size-fits-all bundle.
Which tests does my well need?
Answer a few questions about your well and household. Get a prioritized testing plan built from EPA and CDC guidance.
Status—
Test now —
Test this year —
Test every 3-5 years —
General educational guidance based on EPA and CDC recommendations for private wells - not a substitute for a state-certified laboratory or your local health department. Interpret any elevated result with a certified lab.
Before you buy treatment: confirm any result above an EPA reference level with a state-certified lab. Treatment should match a confirmed result - not a fear.
FAQ
Well testing, answered honestly
How often should I test my well water?+
The EPA and CDC recommend testing at least once a year for total coliform bacteria and nitrates, plus pH and total dissolved solids. Test again after flooding, well repairs, or any change in taste, odor, or appearance - and run a broader metals panel (arsenic, lead, manganese, uranium) every 3-5 years, per many state health departments.
What does well water testing cost?+
Typical lab ranges: a basic bacteria + nitrate test runs about $30-$60; broad panels covering metals, minerals, and VOCs run $150-$400; PFAS analysis by EPA methods runs $250-$600. Check your state or county health department first - many offer free or subsidized basic tests for well owners.
Can I test for PFAS at home?+
You can collect the sample at home, but the analysis has to happen at an accredited lab using EPA methods (537.1 or 533). PFAS matters at parts-per-trillion levels - the EPA's 2024 limit for PFOA and PFOS is 4.0 ppt - and no instant strip test can see that. Mail-in kits are legitimate when the analyzing lab is accredited.
What is a safe nitrate level?+
The EPA maximum contaminant level is 10 mg/L nitrate as nitrogen. Water above that should never be given to infants under six months - nitrate interferes with oxygen transport in their blood (methemoglobinemia, or "blue-baby syndrome"). Boiling concentrates nitrate, it doesn't remove it. Treatment means reverse osmosis or ion exchange.
Should I use a certified lab?+
Yes - for any result you'll act on. State-certified labs follow EPA methods and quality controls, and their results are accepted for treatment decisions and real-estate transactions. Find certified labs through your state health or environmental department, or the EPA Safe Drinking Water Hotline.
What do I do if coliform is detected?+
Confirm with a retest, inspect the well cap, casing, and seal, then shock-chlorinate and retest. If E. coli is present, stop drinking the water immediately - use bottled or boiled water until two consecutive clean tests. Persistent detections call for continuous disinfection (UV is common) and a professional inspection.
Not sure where to start?
Start with the free test selector.
A couple minutes gives you a prioritized plan - not a sales pitch.