Quick answer
About 471,000 people in Arkansas (16.1% of residents) got their water from private wells in 2010, according to USGS estimates. Arkansas Department of Health runs the state’s private well guidance. We didn’t find a free statewide well testing program in Arkansas. Certified labs charge for each test, and some county health departments offer lower-cost bacteria and nitrate tests.
- People on private wells
- 470,713
- Share of residents
- 16.1%
- Rank among states
- 27th
- Well users modeled above 10 µg/L arsenic
- 1.4%
Where to get your well tested in Arkansas
- Arkansas Department of Health: Water Microbiology Laboratory, the state’s guidance for private well owners.
- Well water testing in Arkansas: what to test for and how to collect a sample.
Free or low-cost testing
We didn’t find a free statewide program in Arkansas. Certified labs charge per test; county health departments sometimes offer lower-cost bacteria and nitrate tests.
Mail-in lab kits are another option when no local lab is convenient. See well water test kits for what home kits can and can’t tell you.
What to test for
- Every year: total coliform bacteria and nitrate.
- Before buying equipment: pH, hardness, iron, manganese and, if there’s a smell, hydrogen sulfide.
- Based on location: arsenic, uranium and radon, PFAS, and lead in older plumbing.
Private wells by county
Estimated people relying on private wells in each Arkansas county in 2010, the share of residents that represents, and the modeled share of well users with arsenic above 10 µg/L. These are USGS model estimates (2010 population), not measurements of any well. Arsenic is hidden for counties with fewer than 500 well users.
| County | People on wells | Share | Arsenic >10 µg/L |
|---|---|---|---|
| Benton County | 23,887 | 10.8% | 1.0% |
| Garland County | 21,873 | 22.8% | 1.0% |
| Washington County | 20,111 | 9.9% | 1.1% |
| Faulkner County | 16,012 | 14.1% | 1.7% |
| Pope County | 14,404 | 23.3% | 2.4% |
| Baxter County | 14,178 | 34.2% | 1.0% |
| Miller County | 13,621 | 31.3% | 1.0% |
| White County | 13,235 | 17.2% | 2.0% |
| Hot Spring County | 12,966 | 39.4% | 1.0% |
| Boone County | 12,191 | 33.0% | 1.0% |
| Conway County | 11,503 | 54.1% | 2.6% |
| Polk County | 11,309 | 54.7% | 1.0% |
Show all 75 counties
| Pulaski County | 11,200 | 2.9% | 1.2% |
| Greene County | 11,062 | 26.3% | 2.0% |
| Saline County | 10,323 | 9.6% | 1.0% |
| Carroll County | 9,552 | 34.8% | 1.0% |
| Hempstead County | 9,039 | 40.0% | 1.0% |
| Marion County | 8,870 | 53.3% | 1.5% |
| Logan County | 8,247 | 36.9% | 2.5% |
| Cleburne County | 8,037 | 30.9% | 1.7% |
| Randolph County | 7,707 | 42.9% | 1.0% |
| Sevier County | 7,569 | 44.4% | 1.0% |
| Crawford County | 7,516 | 12.1% | 1.0% |
| Madison County | 7,216 | 45.9% | 1.0% |
| Fulton County | 7,047 | 57.6% | 1.0% |
| Independence County | 6,774 | 18.5% | 1.0% |
| Lonoke County | 6,698 | 9.8% | 1.0% |
| Craighead County | 6,504 | 6.7% | 2.0% |
| Ashley County | 6,304 | 28.8% | 1.3% |
| Scott County | 6,299 | 56.1% | 1.9% |
| Yell County | 6,295 | 28.4% | 1.8% |
| Montgomery County | 6,286 | 66.3% | 1.0% |
| Sebastian County | 6,244 | 5.0% | 1.9% |
| Howard County | 6,064 | 44.0% | 1.0% |
| Sharp County | 5,902 | 34.2% | 1.0% |
| Pike County | 5,505 | 48.8% | 1.0% |
| Stone County | 5,133 | 41.4% | 1.0% |
| Van Buren County | 5,069 | 29.3% | 2.0% |
| Columbia County | 5,006 | 20.4% | 1.0% |
| Franklin County | 4,966 | 27.4% | 2.6% |
| Johnson County | 4,940 | 19.3% | 3.0% |
| Clark County | 4,865 | 21.2% | 1.0% |
| Ouachita County | 4,635 | 17.7% | 1.0% |
| Little River County | 4,470 | 33.9% | 1.2% |
| Nevada County | 4,144 | 46.1% | 1.0% |
| Perry County | 4,101 | 39.3% | 1.4% |
| Izard County | 3,841 | 28.0% | 1.0% |
| Jackson County | 3,371 | 18.7% | 1.0% |
| Lawrence County | 3,341 | 19.2% | 1.0% |
| Grant County | 3,293 | 18.4% | 1.0% |
| Searcy County | 3,273 | 39.9% | 1.0% |
| Bradley County | 2,897 | 25.2% | 1.0% |
| Lafayette County | 2,712 | 35.5% | 1.0% |
| Newton County | 2,550 | 30.6% | 1.0% |
| Clay County | 2,462 | 15.3% | 2.6% |
| Prairie County | 2,441 | 28.0% | 1.0% |
| Chicot County | 2,392 | 20.3% | 2.0% |
| Calhoun County | 2,190 | 40.8% | 1.5% |
| St. Francis County | 1,885 | 6.7% | 1.5% |
| Dallas County | 1,831 | 22.6% | 1.0% |
| Union County | 1,824 | 4.4% | 1.0% |
| Drew County | 1,787 | 9.7% | 1.4% |
| Desha County | 1,669 | 12.8% | 2.6% |
| Jefferson County | 1,476 | 1.9% | 1.3% |
| Lincoln County | 1,267 | 9.0% | 1.4% |
| Arkansas County | 1,203 | 6.3% | 1.8% |
| Cleveland County | 1,100 | 12.7% | 1.0% |
| Lee County | 1,070 | 10.3% | 2.0% |
| Mississippi County | 1,030 | 2.2% | 2.6% |
| Cross County | 1,005 | 5.6% | 2.0% |
| Poinsett County | 950 | 3.9% | 2.0% |
| Crittenden County | 879 | 1.7% | 3.0% |
| Woodruff County | 814 | 11.2% | 1.0% |
| Monroe County | 769 | 9.4% | 1.5% |
| Phillips County | 512 | 2.4% | 2.8% |
After you get results
Enter your numbers in the test results tool to see what needs treating and in what order. The guide to reading a well water test explains units and limits.
Common questions
Does Arkansas offer free well water testing?
We didn’t find a free statewide well testing program in Arkansas. Certified labs charge for each test, and some county health departments offer lower-cost bacteria and nitrate tests.
Who oversees private wells in Arkansas?
Arkansas Department of Health (Water Microbiology Laboratory) publishes guidance for private well owners. Private wells aren’t covered by the federal Safe Drinking Water Act, so testing and treatment are up to the owner.
How many people use private wells in Arkansas?
USGS estimates about 471,000 people, or 16.1% of the population in 2010. That ranks 27th of the states covered by the estimate.
What should I test my well for in Arkansas?
Test every year for total coliform bacteria and nitrate, plus pH, hardness, iron and manganese before buying equipment. Ask the state program or a certified lab about local concerns such as arsenic, uranium or PFAS.
Sources
- Arkansas Department of Health: Water Microbiology Laboratory
- Arkansas Department of Health: well water testing
- USGS data release: domestic well locations and populations served, 2000 and 2010 (Johnson, Belitz and Lombard, 2019)
- CDC Environmental Public Health Tracking: private well water data (from USGS)