About this list
- Agency
- Kentucky Energy and Environment Cabinet, Division of Water - Drinking Water Laboratory Certification Program
- Format
- 1-page PDF table (PFAS-certified labs only): Lab ID, Micro / Chem / PFAS marks, mailing address, lab phone; no expiry
- Homeowner flag
- Not stated per lab. Kentucky DEP's "PFAS and Private Wells" handout for private well owners says: "To know whether PFAS are a concern in your drinking water, contact a certified laboratory for more information on sample testing. A list of certified labs is available at eec.ky.gov/PFAS." (the page that links this list).
Partial list. Only Kentucky's list of labs certified for PFAS in drinking water is here (with each lab's Micro / Chem certification marks). Kentucky does not publish its full certified drinking-water lab roster: the Division of Water's well-owner fact sheet says "You can find a certified drinking water testing laboratory by emailing [email protected] and requesting a list of certified drinking water laboratories or you can contact your local health department for further help." (EPA's table of state programs also says "submit request" for Kentucky).
Certified as ofRevised 1/23/2026
2026 KY Certified Drinking Water PFAS Laboratory List. Fetched 2026-11-15 (UTC).
Official sourceTesting your well in Kentucky
How often to test
- The Kentucky Division of Water says well owners should have their well water tested every year for bacteria. It lists other reasons to test: a change in the water's taste, odor or appearance, recurring stomach illness in the household, a pregnancy or new infant in the home, a dangerous contaminant in a neighbor's water, and checking how well home treatment equipment works. [1]
Free testing
We found no statewide free testing program in Kentucky. Ask your county health department whether it runs one.
Testing programs and help
- To find out which contaminants may be of local concern (some, such as arsenic and radon, are area specific), the Division of Water suggests contacting the Division of Water or Division of Waste Management, a certified drinking water testing lab, a qualified local well contractor or treatment company, or local health or environmental health officials. [1]
- If you are concerned about PFAS in your well, Kentucky's Department for Environmental Protection suggests contacting a certified laboratory about testing; it posts a list of certified PFAS labs at eec.ky.gov/PFAS and notes that PFAS testing can be expensive. [2]
State lab and rules
- Kentucky's water well rule requires a new well for potable use to be tested for E. coli within 30 days of completion, at a lab certified under 401 KAR 8:040; the same test applies after a well is modified. The certified driller must give the well owner the bacteria results within 60 days. [3]
- The Division of Water says bacteria samples should go to a certified drinking water laboratory. You can request the list of certified drinking water labs by email from the Division of Water's lab certification program, or ask your local health department for help. [1]
Show the numbers
| Item | Value | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Zone 1 | 30 counties | |
| Zone 2 | 82 counties | |
| Zone 3 | 8 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.
Sources
- Kentucky Energy and Environment Cabinet, Division of Water, Groundwater protection: wells (fact sheet, June 2024)
- Kentucky Department for Environmental Protection, PFAS and Private Wells (handout, April 2024)
- Kentucky Legislative Research Commission, 401 KAR 6:310, Water supply well construction practices and standards (eff. Jan 3, 2020)
- U.S. EPA, Map of Radon Zones, county list (EPA 402/A-16/001, spreadsheet Sep 2025)
Loan test (FHA, VA, USDA) in Kentucky
- 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.
Labs by contaminant
Labs on the Kentucky 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.
Boone County25,798 on wellsPike County18,847 on wellsBullitt County15,111 on wellsMeade County10,946 on wellsKenton County9,406 on wellsBreckinridge County9,248 on wellsLawrence County9,211 on wellsGraves County8,981 on wellsChristian County8,577 on wellsKnott County8,427 on wellsLetcher County8,024 on wellsHarlan County7,895 on wellsHardin County7,451 on wellsCalloway County7,285 on wellsMorgan County7,195 on wellsWhitley County7,117 on wellsKnox County6,822 on wellsPulaski County6,697 on wellsFloyd County6,683 on wellsMadison County6,323 on wellsBell County5,932 on wellsPerry County5,651 on wellsLewis County5,295 on wellsBreathitt County5,191 on wellsLarue County5,155 on wellsBarren County4,880 on wellsLaurel County4,627 on wellsOldham County4,541 on wellsAnderson County4,506 on wellsCasey County4,458 on wellsScott County4,456 on wellsJohnson County4,450 on wellsJessamine County4,417 on wellsWayne County4,338 on wellsCampbell County4,327 on wellsHenderson County4,269 on wellsGrayson County4,248 on wellsWashington County4,162 on wellsElliott County4,107 on wellsMarshall County4,105 on wellsGreenup County4,040 on wellsDaviess County3,970 on wellsLogan County3,956 on wellsLeslie County3,931 on wellsClay County3,887 on wellsGrant County3,837 on wellsRussell County3,833 on wellsWolfe County3,825 on wellsAllen County3,756 on wellsMcCracken County3,706 on wellsBallard County3,671 on wellsNelson County3,384 on wellsTaylor County3,228 on wellsShelby County3,194 on wellsMcCreary County3,164 on wellsLincoln County3,107 on wellsMagoffin County3,035 on wellsPendleton County3,026 on wellsPowell County2,969 on wellsRowan County2,915 on wellsFleming County2,810 on wellsMartin County2,769 on wellsBourbon County2,655 on wellsMuhlenberg County2,557 on wellsEstill County2,544 on wellsCarlisle County2,534 on wellsMetcalfe County2,527 on wellsBath County2,348 on wellsHancock County2,173 on wellsMason County2,052 on wellsHickman County2,039 on wellsCarter County2,037 on wellsFranklin County2,015 on wellsHopkins County1,941 on wellsMenifee County1,939 on wellsOhio County1,865 on wellsBoyle County1,699 on wellsGarrard County1,672 on wellsWebster County1,580 on wellsFayette County1,572 on wellsHenry County1,562 on wellsJefferson County1,527 on wellsOwen County1,524 on wellsUnion County1,505 on wellsBracken County1,498 on wellsWarren County1,474 on wellsHarrison County1,445 on wellsAdair County1,427 on wellsWoodford County1,419 on wellsMontgomery County1,380 on wellsBoyd County1,305 on wellsCrittenden County1,304 on wellsSpencer County1,253 on wellsCaldwell County1,230 on wellsLee County1,229 on wellsMercer County1,220 on wellsButler County1,190 on wellsLivingston County1,164 on wellsLyon County1,055 on wells