Quick answer
About 1,394,000 people in Georgia (14.4% of residents) got their water from private wells in 2010, according to USGS estimates. Georgia Department of Public Health runs the state’s private well guidance. We didn’t find a free statewide well testing program in Georgia. Certified labs charge for each test, and some county health departments offer lower-cost bacteria and nitrate tests.
- People on private wells
- 1,394,131
- Share of residents
- 14.4%
- Rank among states
- 11th
- Well users modeled above 10 µg/L arsenic
- 1.4%
Where to get your well tested in Georgia
- Georgia Department of Public Health: Well Water, the state’s guidance for private well owners.
- Certified laboratories in Georgia. Use a lab certified for drinking water, so results are reliable.
Free or low-cost testing
We didn’t find a free statewide program in Georgia. 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 Georgia 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lowndes County | 27,778 | 25.4% | 1.4% |
| Bulloch County | 25,947 | 37.0% | 1.0% |
| Coweta County | 24,965 | 19.6% | 1.6% |
| Laurens County | 23,436 | 48.4% | 1.1% |
| Carroll County | 22,161 | 20.1% | 2.2% |
| Coffee County | 21,921 | 51.8% | 1.1% |
| Hall County | 20,985 | 11.7% | 1.3% |
| Jackson County | 19,503 | 32.2% | 1.0% |
| Glynn County | 19,348 | 24.3% | 2.5% |
| Colquitt County | 18,844 | 41.4% | 1.7% |
| Troup County | 17,958 | 26.8% | 1.8% |
| Effingham County | 17,870 | 34.2% | 2.0% |
Show all 159 counties
| Madison County | 17,574 | 62.5% | 1.0% |
| Chatham County | 17,019 | 6.4% | 1.3% |
| Newton County | 14,639 | 14.6% | 1.6% |
| Monroe County | 14,147 | 53.5% | 1.5% |
| Brantley County | 14,011 | 76.1% | 2.0% |
| Burke County | 13,858 | 59.4% | 1.3% |
| Grady County | 13,783 | 55.1% | 1.2% |
| Forsyth County | 13,565 | 7.7% | 1.0% |
| Wayne County | 13,455 | 44.7% | 1.7% |
| Hart County | 13,388 | 53.1% | 1.0% |
| Tattnall County | 13,157 | 51.6% | 1.0% |
| Bartow County | 13,152 | 13.1% | 2.0% |
| Thomas County | 12,879 | 28.8% | 1.1% |
| Gilmer County | 12,548 | 44.4% | 1.0% |
| Banks County | 12,504 | 68.0% | 1.0% |
| Worth County | 12,417 | 57.3% | 1.0% |
| Walton County | 12,291 | 14.7% | 1.0% |
| Lumpkin County | 12,289 | 41.0% | 1.0% |
| Meriwether County | 12,126 | 55.1% | 1.7% |
| Franklin County | 12,030 | 54.5% | 1.0% |
| Decatur County | 11,798 | 42.4% | 1.0% |
| Pike County | 11,716 | 65.6% | 1.2% |
| Cherokee County | 11,715 | 5.5% | 1.4% |
| Habersham County | 11,512 | 26.7% | 1.0% |
| Dodge County | 11,488 | 52.7% | 1.0% |
| Jones County | 11,461 | 40.0% | 2.0% |
| Fayette County | 11,339 | 10.6% | 1.3% |
| Appling County | 11,134 | 61.1% | 1.0% |
| Pierce County | 11,048 | 58.9% | 1.8% |
| Columbia County | 11,009 | 8.9% | 1.2% |
| Murray County | 10,991 | 27.7% | 1.6% |
| Camden County | 10,980 | 21.7% | 2.0% |
| Liberty County | 10,963 | 17.3% | 1.3% |
| Crawford County | 10,961 | 86.8% | 1.8% |
| Whitfield County | 10,817 | 10.5% | 2.4% |
| Tift County | 10,732 | 26.8% | 1.0% |
| McDuffie County | 10,669 | 48.8% | 1.0% |
| Elbert County | 10,559 | 52.4% | 1.0% |
| Mitchell County | 10,465 | 44.5% | 1.0% |
| White County | 10,444 | 38.5% | 1.0% |
| Paulding County | 10,421 | 7.3% | 1.8% |
| Putnam County | 10,398 | 49.0% | 1.9% |
| Morgan County | 10,363 | 58.0% | 1.0% |
| Haralson County | 10,328 | 35.9% | 1.7% |
| Harris County | 10,228 | 31.9% | 1.2% |
| Upson County | 10,222 | 37.6% | 1.3% |
| Spalding County | 10,092 | 15.8% | 2.0% |
| Dougherty County | 10,067 | 10.6% | 1.0% |
| Oglethorpe County | 10,043 | 67.4% | 1.0% |
| Washington County | 10,032 | 47.4% | 1.7% |
| Screven County | 10,021 | 68.7% | 1.6% |
| Sumter County | 9,935 | 30.3% | 1.6% |
| Toombs County | 9,857 | 36.2% | 1.0% |
| Gordon County | 9,852 | 17.9% | 2.4% |
| Butts County | 9,808 | 41.5% | 2.0% |
| Berrien County | 9,760 | 50.6% | 1.1% |
| Baldwin County | 9,563 | 20.9% | 2.1% |
| Ware County | 9,517 | 26.2% | 2.0% |
| Emanuel County | 9,504 | 42.1% | 1.0% |
| Lamar County | 9,079 | 49.6% | 1.5% |
| Jeff Davis County | 8,949 | 59.4% | 1.0% |
| Oconee County | 8,938 | 27.2% | 1.1% |
| Pickens County | 8,933 | 30.4% | 1.0% |
| Crisp County | 8,744 | 37.3% | 1.0% |
| Bibb County | 8,715 | 5.6% | 1.8% |
| Bryan County | 8,675 | 28.7% | 1.6% |
| Henry County | 8,539 | 4.2% | 1.9% |
| Long County | 8,501 | 58.8% | 1.3% |
| Heard County | 8,279 | 70.0% | 2.0% |
| Cook County | 8,113 | 47.1% | 1.0% |
| Lee County | 7,910 | 28.0% | 1.1% |
| Fulton County | 7,823 | 0.8% | 1.5% |
| Dawson County | 7,624 | 34.1% | 1.0% |
| Bleckley County | 7,569 | 57.9% | 1.0% |
| Brooks County | 7,566 | 46.6% | 1.6% |
| Fannin County | 7,396 | 31.2% | 1.0% |
| Union County | 7,371 | 34.5% | 1.0% |
| Stephens County | 7,257 | 27.7% | 1.0% |
| Floyd County | 6,977 | 7.2% | 3.1% |
| Jasper County | 6,938 | 49.9% | 2.0% |
| Charlton County | 6,774 | 55.7% | 2.0% |
| Greene County | 6,732 | 42.1% | 1.4% |
| Pulaski County | 6,712 | 55.9% | 1.5% |
| Twiggs County | 6,688 | 74.1% | 2.0% |
| Rockdale County | 6,682 | 7.8% | 1.5% |
| Walker County | 6,667 | 9.7% | 2.5% |
| Johnson County | 6,614 | 66.3% | 1.2% |
| Jefferson County | 6,502 | 38.4% | 1.5% |
| Clarke County | 6,439 | 5.5% | 1.2% |
| Bacon County | 6,380 | 57.5% | 1.7% |
| Barrow County | 6,290 | 9.1% | 1.2% |
| Macon County | 6,266 | 42.5% | 1.0% |
| Richmond County | 6,077 | 3.0% | 1.3% |
| Dooly County | 6,055 | 40.6% | 1.0% |
| Candler County | 5,939 | 54.0% | 1.0% |
| Irwin County | 5,883 | 61.7% | 1.0% |
| Telfair County | 5,837 | 35.4% | 1.0% |
| Lincoln County | 5,575 | 69.7% | 1.0% |
| Lanier County | 5,560 | 55.2% | 1.3% |
| Marion County | 5,532 | 63.3% | 1.0% |
| Chattooga County | 5,472 | 21.0% | 3.5% |
| Early County | 5,236 | 47.6% | 1.0% |
| Hancock County | 5,203 | 55.2% | 1.4% |
| Peach County | 5,132 | 18.5% | 1.4% |
| Rabun County | 5,123 | 31.5% | 1.0% |
| Seminole County | 5,080 | 58.2% | 1.0% |
| Houston County | 5,079 | 3.6% | 2.1% |
| Evans County | 5,060 | 46.0% | 1.0% |
| Wilcox County | 4,905 | 53.0% | 1.2% |
| McIntosh County | 4,725 | 33.0% | 2.0% |
| Ben Hill County | 4,697 | 26.6% | 1.0% |
| Douglas County | 4,627 | 3.5% | 2.0% |
| Wilkes County | 4,615 | 43.6% | 1.3% |
| Jenkins County | 4,530 | 54.3% | 1.5% |
| Polk County | 4,431 | 10.7% | 2.0% |
| Taylor County | 4,262 | 47.9% | 1.2% |
| Atkinson County | 4,252 | 50.8% | 1.0% |
| Miller County | 4,161 | 67.9% | 1.0% |
| Montgomery County | 4,057 | 44.5% | 1.0% |
| Gwinnett County | 3,952 | 0.5% | 1.6% |
| Wheeler County | 3,695 | 49.8% | 1.0% |
| Treutlen County | 3,690 | 53.6% | 1.0% |
| Cobb County | 3,255 | 0.5% | 1.4% |
| Terrell County | 3,057 | 32.8% | 1.3% |
| Turner County | 3,052 | 34.2% | 1.0% |
| Echols County | 2,991 | 74.2% | 1.8% |
| Wilkinson County | 2,974 | 31.1% | 2.0% |
| Warren County | 2,895 | 49.6% | 1.0% |
| Baker County | 2,662 | 77.1% | 1.0% |
| Dade County | 2,651 | 15.9% | 3.2% |
| Catoosa County | 2,623 | 4.1% | 3.4% |
| Talbot County | 2,582 | 37.6% | 1.0% |
| Calhoun County | 2,511 | 37.5% | 1.3% |
| Clinch County | 2,444 | 36.0% | 1.8% |
| Towns County | 2,421 | 23.1% | 1.0% |
| Schley County | 2,325 | 46.4% | 1.0% |
| Randolph County | 2,226 | 28.8% | 1.4% |
| Muscogee County | 1,918 | 1.0% | 1.0% |
| Glascock County | 1,751 | 56.8% | 2.0% |
| Clayton County | 1,679 | 0.6% | 1.0% |
| Webster County | 1,563 | 55.8% | 1.7% |
| Stewart County | 1,517 | 25.0% | 1.0% |
| Clay County | 1,432 | 45.0% | 2.0% |
| Taliaferro County | 1,160 | 67.5% | 2.0% |
| Quitman County | 945 | 37.6% | 1.0% |
| DeKalb County | 931 | 0.1% | 1.2% |
| Chattahoochee County | 122 | 1.1% | – |
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 Georgia offer free well water testing?
We didn’t find a free statewide well testing program in Georgia. Certified labs charge for each test, and some county health departments offer lower-cost bacteria and nitrate tests.
Who oversees private wells in Georgia?
Georgia Department of Public Health (Well Water) 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 Georgia?
USGS estimates about 1,394,000 people, or 14.4% of the population in 2010. That ranks 11th of the states covered by the estimate.
What should I test my well for in Georgia?
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.