Coliform Bacteria Water Testing Labs in Idaho (15 state-certified labs)

How many labs test for coliform bacteria in Idaho

15 labs on Idaho's official drinking-water lab list are certified to test for coliform bacteria. All 15 are named for coliform bacteria on the list. 7 of them are marked as taking samples from the public. They are listed first. 5 are located outside Idaho.

The list is published by the Idaho Department of Health and Welfare - Idaho Bureau of Laboratories, Drinking Water Laboratory Certification. These labs come from list files with 15 different dates; each lab page shows its own. Fetched 2026-11-03 (UTC).

Idaho labs certified for coliform bacteria

Marked as taking public samples (7)

Other labs on the list (8)

How the Idaho list marks public samples (whole list). Yes for the 8 Idaho labs DHW's private-wells page lists under "Find a Water Testing Laboratory Near You". Not stated for the other labs.

Before you send a sample, call the lab to confirm it is currently certified for the exact test and method, that it accepts samples from homeowners, and how to collect and ship them. Status can change between list updates.

Why test for coliform bacteria in Idaho

About a third of the 397 domestic wells tested for bacteria in a national USGS study had total coliform. Read our coliform bacteria explainer.

EPA advises private-well owners to test every year for total coliform bacteria, nitrates, total dissolved solids and pH. [1]

Idaho guidance that mentions coliform bacteria:

• Idaho's Department of Health and Welfare (DHW) recommends testing for bacteria and nitrates once a year, and for other contaminants, including metals and chemicals, every 3 to 5 years. It suggests using the Idaho Private Well Water Drinking Map to see what may be present in your area and decide what to test for. [2]
• The Idaho Bureau of Laboratories (IBL), the state lab, tests private well water. Owners use IBL's Private Well Owner submission form and can get sample containers from IBL or their local public health district. Total coliform/E. coli samples need a sterile IBL bottle and must reach the lab within 30 hours of collection; nitrate and nitrite must be tested within 48 hours. For pesticides, herbicides or VOCs, contact IBL; it says general private well testing does not typically require them. [3]

Prices at Idaho Bureau of Laboratories, Drinking Water Analysis Submission Form, Private Well Owner, revised 08/21/2024 (prices as printed; gross alpha and beta is by quote). The form says lab fees are also posted at StateLab.idaho.gov; IBL's Sampling and Submission Guide was not read., as published when checked on 3 Nov 2026. Private certified labs set their own prices.

About 396,215 people in Idaho used private wells in 2015, by the USGS estimate of people on domestic self-supplied water. [4] Federal limits are written for public water systems, not private wells, so testing is up to the owner.

For tests that depend on your home (farms nearby, old plumbing, a new baby), use the which-tests checklist. When results arrive, check your numbers against EPA's limits. State guidance, county data and every lab: Idaho.

Other tests in Idaho