Wells are not covered by EPA drinking water rules the same way city water is. Here is a sensible testing schedule, which labs to use, and what results mean for treatment.
If you drink from a private well, you are your own water utility. There is no annual CCR in the mailbox — safety depends on regular testing and maintaining pumps, casings, and any treatment equipment.
A common starting panel includes bacteria (coliform / E. coli), nitrates, pH, conductivity/TDS, and common ions (hardness, iron, manganese, sulfate, chloride). Your state health department often publishes minimum recommendations.
Depending on geology and nearby land use, labs may add arsenic, uranium, radon in water, volatile organic compounds (VOCs), or PFAS. A local environmental lab can recommend add-ons based on ZIP code and aquifer type.
Use the lab's chain-of-custody instructions: first-draw vs. flushed samples tell different stories for metals. For bacteria, follow sterile bottle procedures and sample timing exactly.
Pick treatment based on documented results. For example, nitrates often require RO or distillation; bacteria usually points to disinfection/UV and fixing the source of contamination; acidic pH may need neutralization — but the right fix depends on the full chemistry.
Enter your ZIP code to see live EPA data, PFAS results, and violation history for your specific water system.
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