Quick answer
Test every year, then add local risks and household changes.
The CDC recommends testing private well water at least annually for total coliform bacteria, nitrates, total dissolved solids, and pH, using a state-certified laboratory. Your state or local health department can tell you what else is common where you live.
Private wells are not monitored like public water systems. That does not mean the water is unsafe; it means the homeowner owns the testing schedule, records, and response when something changes.
Annual baseline
Run these tests on your well water each year
| Test | Why it matters | What it can reveal | What to do if the numbers look off |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total coliform and E. coli | Indicator bacteria can signal a path for contamination. | Well-cap, casing, surface-water, septic, plumbing, or sampling concerns | Follow health-department guidance and confirm with a certified lab |
| Nitrate / nitrite | Especially important for infants, pregnancy, and agricultural areas. | Fertilizer, septic, natural, or land-use influence | Use a certified laboratory and discuss health implications promptly |
| pH | Very low or high pH can affect taste, corrosion, and treatment. | Water chemistry that can influence plumbing and equipment | Interpret alongside metals, alkalinity, and local geology |
| Total dissolved solids | A broad measure of dissolved material, not a safety verdict by itself. | Changes in mineral content or source conditions | Compare to prior results and investigate meaningful change |
Depending on location and nearby activity, your health department may recommend arsenic, lead, manganese, iron, fluoride, pesticides, volatile organic compounds, PFAS, radionuclides, or other tests. Start with local risk, not the longest product label.
Do not wait for the anniversary
Retest after these changes
Flooding or major runoff
Surface water near the well can create a new contamination path. Do not assume clear water is safe.
Well or plumbing work
New pumps, pressure tanks, caps, casing work, treatment equipment, and plumbing repairs can change conditions.
Taste, odor, color, or clarity changes
These changes may be aesthetic, mechanical, or health-related. A targeted lab panel is more useful than guessing at treatment.
Pregnancy, infant, or vulnerable resident
Ask the health department whether additional or more frequent testing is appropriate for the household.
Nearby land-use change
Construction, fuel spills, agriculture, mining, industrial activity, or a changed septic condition can alter local risk.
Unexplained illness
Contact a health professional and health department. Water testing is one part of an investigation, not a diagnosis.
Maintain the source and equipment
A private well is a system, not just a hole in the ground
Keep the wellhead visible and protected
Do not bury the cap, pile materials around it, or allow runoff to collect there. Keep vehicles and lawn equipment away.
Record the well construction
Save the well log, depth, yield, casing, pump model, installation date, static water level, and driller contact.
Watch pressure and pump behavior
Short cycling, air at faucets, pressure swings, unusual sound, or rising power use can point to a system issue.
Maintain treatment equipment
Filters, softeners, UV systems, and other treatment have replacement and service intervals. Treatment without testing can solve the wrong problem.
Protect from cross-connections
Use proper backflow protection on hoses, irrigation, livestock, and chemical-handling equipment.
Coordinate with septic records
Know the locations of the well, septic tank, drain field, property lines, fuel storage, and nearby risks before digging or adding structures.
Use the result
Do not buy treatment until the problem is defined
Was the sample collected correctly?
Bacteria and other tests can require sterile bottles, specific taps, flushing, refrigeration, or rapid delivery.
Is this a health, plumbing, or aesthetic concern?
The correct benchmark and urgency depend on the contaminant and concentration.
Is the problem at the source or inside the house?
Comparing samples at the well, before treatment, and at the drinking tap may narrow the cause.
How will treatment be verified?
Every treatment proposal should include maintenance, consumables, wastewater, power, and follow-up testing.
Buying the Right Test
Choose the test that answers the right question
The best well water test kits
Don't know what tests to buy? Don't worry - we'll point you in the right direction!
Compare well water testsPrivate well FAQ
What responsible well ownership looks like
Can I use an at-home strip instead of a laboratory?
Use strips for inexpensive screening or between-test trend checks, not as a replacement for the annual state-certified lab panel recommended by CDC. Bacteria, nitrate, metals, and trace contaminants require careful sampling and methods.
How much does private well testing cost?
A focused local public-health panel may cost less than a broad mail-in package. Price depends on analytes, shipping, and laboratory. Ask the health department which panel answers the risks in your area before paying for more tests.
Should I shock the well every year?
Not automatically. Disinfection is used for specific conditions and should follow health-department or qualified well-professional guidance. Routine chlorination can hide a structural or contamination-path problem without fixing it.
Keep every result with the well
A trend is more useful than one forgotten PDF.
Homekeepr can keep the well log, pump, pressure tank, treatment equipment, lab results, filter sizes, and next testing date attached to the property.
Build my well record