About this list
- Agency
- Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE) - Environmental Laboratory Improvement Program (ELIPO)
- Format
- Searchable database (AB Manager), CSV exports: accredited parameters (matrix Drinking Water) + lab contacts, analyte-level
- Homeowner flag
- Yes for the 2 listed labs that are on KDHE's Private Well Resource Map of "certified laboratories that conduct private water well testing" (map data last edited August 2023), so call before you send a sample. Not stated for the other labs. KDHE's database also marks each lab 'Commercial?' Yes/No: that is a lab-type flag, not a statement about homeowners' samples.
Use of this list. KDHE publishes this list with a notice under K.S.A. 45-230, a Kansas law that bars using names or addresses from public records to sell to the people or businesses listed. We show it only to help homeowners find a certified lab; we do not use it to market to the labs.
KDHE Approved Laboratory Search (AB Manager public database, Matrix: Drinking Water). Fetched 2026-11-15 (UTC).
Official sourceTesting your well in Kansas
How often to test
- The Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE) and K-State Research and Extension recommend annual water tests for coliform bacteria and nitrate. Testing for common impurities and nuisance contaminants is recommended every one to three years, with possible extra testing after chemical spills or flooding. [1]
- K-State lists situations that suggest special or more frequent bacteria tests: flooding near the well, a well near confined livestock pens, a change in water color, turbidity, odor or taste, recurring digestive illness in people or animals, and after repair of the well or plumbing. [1]
- K-State's well maintenance guide recommends testing private wells annually at a minimum; annual maintenance should include testing for coliform bacteria, nitrate, pH and total dissolved solids. [2]
Free testing
We found no statewide free testing program in Kansas. Ask your county health department whether it runs one.
Testing programs and help
- Water test kits are available at most local K-State Research and Extension offices, and local health or environmental offices may have kits too. Help understanding a test report may be available from the testing lab, your county health or environmental office, KDHE or K-State Research and Extension. [1]
Buying or selling a home
- K-State Research and Extension notes that lending institutions may require water tests and an evaluation of the water system before approving a loan. [1]
State lab and rules
- For tests on issues that affect human or animal health, K-State advises using a lab certified by KDHE; a list of current certified labs is available through KDHE. A certified lab is critical if results might be used as evidence of pollution or in a lawsuit. [1]
- K-State also notes that some county sanitary codes require water tests for private systems. [1]
Show the numbers
| Item | Value | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Zone 1 | 65 counties | |
| Zone 2 | 40 counties | |
| Zone 3 | 0 counties |
Radon in indoor air, not in water. EPA: Zone 1 = highest potential (average indoor radon may be above 4 pCi/L); Zone 2 = 2 to 4; Zone 3 = below 2. EPA says the map should not be used to decide whether an individual home needs testing. Source: U.S. EPA, Map of Radon Zones, county list (EPA 402/A-16/001, spreadsheet Sep 2025), accessed 2026-11-01.
- K-State Research and Extension, Testing Private Water Systems, MF3655 (March 2024)
- K-State Research and Extension, Private Well Maintenance and Protection, MF3666 (April 2024)
- U.S. EPA, Map of Radon Zones, county list (EPA 402/A-16/001, spreadsheet Sep 2025)
Loan test (FHA, VA, USDA) in Kansas
- VA. Test results are valid for 90 days from the date the local health authority certifies them, unless the local authority says otherwise. VA’s chapter names no list of contaminants: the water must meet the local health authority’s requirements, or EPA guidelines where it has none. Your lender may ask for specific tests.
- FHA. A well test is required in the situations FHA’s handbook lists, among others, and the report may not be more than 180 days old at disbursement.
- USDA. Guaranteed loans need a water quality test for a private well, done by the local health authority or a state-certified lab, and no more than 180 days old at closing.
Lenders can ask for more (extra tests, a particular lab, who takes the sample): ask your lender before you book. Federal rules as read on Nov 3, 2026 source 1 source 2 source 3. Full comparison: VA, FHA and USDA well water test requirements. Loan test kits sold by mail, with price and days to results: kits compared.
What Kansas labs say on their own websites
State lists say what a lab is certified for, not whether it takes your sample or what it costs. We read each lab’s own site; a second reader re-checked every fact below. 4 labs on this list are on our register so far; 1 say they take homeowner samples and 1 print a price.
| Lab | Bacteria (coliform / E. coli) | Nitrate | Arsenic | Lead | Basic well panel | Home sale / loan package | Turnaround |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Johnson County Water Quality Laboratory Olathe, KS | Total Coliform $35.50 (First Sample Price); $30 each additional sample source | Nitrate $36 (First Sample Price); $18 each additional sample source | – | Lead $69 (First Sample Price); $40 each additional sample source | – | – | – |
Say they take homeowner samples: Johnson County Water Quality Laboratory.
Prices exactly as each lab prints them, read 15 Nov 2026; re-checked every 90 days. Labs not shown have not been read yet or print nothing for homeowners. Confirm price and turnaround with the lab.
Labs by contaminant
Labs on the Kansas list for one test, with homeowner-accepting labs first.
Well water by county
Private-well population (USGS, 2015), arsenic estimate, radon zone and nearby labs for each county with at least 1,000 people on private wells, largest first.