Well Water Filter Systems

Well water by state

Well water testing in New York

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Quick answer

About 1,856,000 people in New York (9.6% of residents) got their water from private wells in 2010, according to USGS estimates. New York State Department of Health runs the state’s private well guidance. NYSDOH's Private Well PFAS Testing and Mitigation Rebate Pilot Program offers limited free PFAS testing of private wells for eligible residents of Dutchess, Orange, Putnam, Suffolk, Ulster and Westchester counties, with application windows depending on available funds.

People on private wells
1,855,645
Share of residents
9.6%
Rank among states
5th
Well users modeled above 10 µg/L arsenic
6.5%

Where to get your well tested in New York

Free or low-cost testing

NYSDOH's Private Well PFAS Testing and Mitigation Rebate Pilot Program offers limited free PFAS testing of private wells for eligible residents of Dutchess, Orange, Putnam, Suffolk, Ulster and Westchester counties, with application windows depending on available funds. (source)

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

USGS modeling estimates that about 6.5% of New York’s private well users have water above the 10 µg/L arsenic limit. Arsenic has no taste or smell, so include it in your first test.

Private wells by county

Estimated people relying on private wells in each New York 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.

CountyPeople on wellsShareArsenic >10 µg/L
Suffolk County119,0598.0%7.6%
Dutchess County97,05832.6%3.9%
Orange County85,16022.8%2.4%
Ulster County81,49344.7%3.5%
St. Lawrence County54,92849.1%5.2%
Oswego County52,93743.4%3.9%
Saratoga County51,80423.6%5.2%
Broome County51,29125.6%7.9%
Rensselaer County50,90431.9%5.4%
Westchester County49,3635.2%6.2%
Oneida County47,64120.3%4.6%
Putnam County46,89847.0%4.8%
Show all 62 counties
Erie County45,0394.9%10.6%
Steuben County44,33744.8%6.7%
Chautauqua County42,58831.6%6.8%
Sullivan County40,61152.4%3.3%
Columbia County37,99360.2%5.7%
Jefferson County36,55731.5%3.5%
Clinton County33,89441.3%5.4%
Onondaga County33,7577.2%3.9%
Cattaraugus County33,62741.9%5.1%
Washington County31,82350.3%6.5%
Tioga County29,89158.5%6.8%
Tompkins County29,33628.9%7.3%
Otsego County28,31945.5%6.4%
Chenango County27,02853.5%7.2%
Cayuga County26,65333.3%6.9%
Madison County26,41136.0%7.5%
Genesee County26,14643.5%14.8%
Chemung County25,82329.1%6.5%
Greene County25,34451.5%5.0%
Ontario County24,23922.5%12.4%
Wayne County23,00824.5%6.5%
Allegany County22,67946.3%7.7%
Franklin County22,49343.6%3.6%
Albany County22,4097.4%5.3%
Wyoming County21,50951.0%29.4%
Delaware County21,29544.4%4.9%
Livingston County21,21532.4%19.0%
Fulton County21,02337.9%3.5%
Herkimer County20,56631.9%3.0%
Schoharie County20,04961.2%3.9%
Orleans County19,25044.9%27.4%
Montgomery County18,64237.1%5.2%
Rockland County17,5305.6%2.0%
Cortland County17,31135.1%6.1%
Monroe County17,2632.3%13.2%
Warren County15,03722.9%5.4%
Lewis County13,25048.9%2.6%
Yates County12,96951.2%14.8%
Seneca County12,58035.7%12.6%
Schuyler County12,05965.7%11.4%
Schenectady County11,6577.5%4.2%
Essex County9,25123.5%2.7%
Niagara County6,2472.9%10.7%
Kings County5,0580.2%6.3%
Nassau County4,8930.4%6.2%
Queens County3,9240.2%5.8%
Hamilton County2,31247.8%1.3%
Bronx County1,1730.1%7.0%
New York County8270.1%7.7%
Richmond County2140.0%–

Counties with the highest modeled arsenic share: Wyoming County (29.4%), Orleans County (27.4%), Livingston County (19.0%), Genesee County (14.8%), Yates County (14.8%).

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 New York offer free well water testing?

NYSDOH's Private Well PFAS Testing and Mitigation Rebate Pilot Program offers limited free PFAS testing of private wells for eligible residents of Dutchess, Orange, Putnam, Suffolk, Ulster and Westchester counties, with application windows depending on available funds.

Who oversees private wells in New York?

New York State Department of Health (Private Wells) 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 New York?

USGS estimates about 1,856,000 people, or 9.6% of the population in 2010. That ranks 5th of the states covered by the estimate.

What should I test my well for in New York?

Test every year for total coliform bacteria and nitrate, plus pH, hardness, iron and manganese before buying equipment. Arsenic is a known concern in parts of New York, so add it to the first test.

Sources

  1. New York State Department of Health: Private Wells
  2. New York State Department of Health: well water testing
  3. New York certified laboratories
  4. New York free or low-cost testing
  5. USGS data release: domestic well locations and populations served, 2000 and 2010 (Johnson, Belitz and Lombard, 2019)
  6. CDC Environmental Public Health Tracking: private well water data (from USGS)