About this list
- Agency
- South Dakota Department of Agriculture and Natural Resources (DANR) - Office of Water, Drinking Water Laboratory Certification
- Format
- HTML list (in-state labs + other labs certified by South Dakota): 'Certified for' analyte groups per lab (e.g. Inorganics, VOC's, Microbiology, E.Coli enumeration, Lead, Copper, Uranium, PFAS); no expiry, no cert numbers
- Homeowner flag
- Yes for the South Dakota State Health Laboratory: the SD Department of Health's "Testing Private Wells" page says "To request sample bottles for testing of water supplies, please complete and submit the following form, indicating the number of bottles needed for each test specified. Bottles include complete instructions for collecting and submitting water samples for testing. Fee information for the various tests is included. Sample bottles and instructions are also available from County Extension offices." (tests on the form: Bacteria/Nitrate, Lead, New Well, Other). Not stated for the other labs; DANR's list is written for public water systems ("Certified laboratories use approved methods to analyze drinking water compliance samples from public water systems (PWSs)."). DANR's Private Well Sampling page names no lab.
Laboratories certified for the analysis of drinking water in the state of South Dakota. Fetched 2026-11-15 (UTC).
Official sourceTesting your well in South Dakota
How often to test
- South Dakota DANR recommends retesting a well for bacteria at least once a year. After heavy rain, snowmelt or flooding near your well, it says to submit a sample for at least bacteria and nitrate. [1]
Free testing
We found no statewide free testing program in South Dakota. Ask your county health department whether it runs one.
Testing programs and help
- Sample bottles and instructions for the state public health lab are also available from County Extension offices. [2]
State lab and rules
- New wells: under the Centennial Environmental Protection Act of 1989, every new domestic well drilled in South Dakota must be tested for bacteria and several selected chemicals. [3]
- The South Dakota Public Health Laboratory (Department of Health) offers testing for private wells. You order sample bottles online for bacteria/nitrate, lead, new well or other tests; bottles come with collection instructions and fee information. [2]
- DANR certifies laboratories to analyze drinking water compliance samples from public water systems and lists the certified labs. [4]
What testing costs at the state lab
South Dakota Public Health Laboratory, Environmental Laboratory Testing Fees, per-test prices (page updated Sep 22, 2026)
| Test | Price |
|---|---|
| Total coliform | $20 |
| E. coli | $22 |
| Nitrate | $18 |
| Arsenic | $23 |
| Lead | $18.50 |
| Manganese | $18 |
| Iron | $18 |
| Sulfate | $17 |
| Fluoride | $16 |
| Uranium | $26 |
| Gross alpha/beta | $55 |
Prices as published when we checked on 2 Nov 2026. Private certified labs set their own prices.
Show the numbers
| Item | Value | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Zone 1 | 48 counties | |
| Zone 2 | 18 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.
- South Dakota Department of Agriculture and Natural Resources, Private Well Sampling
- South Dakota Department of Health, Testing Private Wells (content last updated Oct 5, 2026)
- South Dakota Department of Agriculture and Natural Resources, New Well Sampling Program
- South Dakota Department of Agriculture and Natural Resources, Laboratory Certification
- South Dakota Department of Health, Environmental Laboratory Testing Fees (content last updated Sep 22, 2026)
- U.S. EPA, Map of Radon Zones, county list (EPA 402/A-16/001, spreadsheet Sep 2025)
Loan test (FHA, VA, USDA) in South Dakota
- 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 South Dakota 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. 5 labs on this list are on our register so far; 3 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| South Dakota State Health Laboratory Pierre, SD · You collect the sample with the lab's bottles | E. coli $22.00 source Total Coliform $20.00 source | Nitrate $18.00 source | Arsenic $23.00 source | Lead $18.50 source | – | – | – |
Say they take homeowner samples: Mid Continent Testing Laboratory, Minnesota Valley Testing Laboratories, South Dakota State Health 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 South Dakota 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.