Well water testing
A lab test is the cheapest part of fixing well water and the step people skip most. Buying equipment without numbers is how homeowners end up with a softener that clogs with iron, or a UV light that can’t see through stained water.
Start with a basic panel each year: bacteria, nitrate, pH, hardness, iron and manganese. Add arsenic, uranium, lead or PFAS based on your area and your plumbing.
- How to test well waterWhat to test your well for, how to pick a certified lab, and how to take bacteria, lead and raw-water samples so the results are worth acting on.
- Well water test kits comparedState-certified lab testing vs Tap Score mail-in tests vs SpringWell's well test kit, plus what DIY test strips can and can't tell you about your well.
- Reading a well water testA line-by-line guide to your well water lab report: units, detection limits, EPA health and aesthetic limits, and which results to act on first.
- Shock chlorinating a wellHow to shock chlorinate a private well following state health department steps: bleach amounts, safety, contact time, flushing away from septic, and retesting.
- How often to test well waterA private well testing schedule from CDC, EPA and state guidance: what to test yearly, every few years, at least once, and after floods or repairs.
- Test results toolEnter the numbers from your lab report and get the order to treat them in.
- Well water by stateEach state’s private well program, free or low-cost testing, and certified labs.