About this list
- Agency
- Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation (TDEC), Division of Water Resources - Laboratory Certification Program
- Format
- PDF x2 (commercial labs: certified contaminant groups; microbiological labs: method groups)
- Homeowner flag
- Not stated in the list.
Certified as of10/2/2026 (page footers 10/06/2026); As of October 2, 2026 (PDF title; page footers 10/06/2026)
TDEC Division of Water Resources - Commercial Laboratories Certified for Drinking Water Analysis + TDEC Division of Water Resources - Microbiological Laboratories Certified for Drinking Water Analyses. Fetched 2026-11-15 (UTC).
Official sourceTesting your well in Tennessee
How often to test
- TDEC's Division of Water Resources strongly recommends testing private water supplies for bacteria every year. If the well tests positive, disinfect it and retest. [1]
- The Tennessee Department of Health suggests bacteria every year (multiple samples), chemicals such as nitrate and metals every two years, VOCs every few years if you are near industry, and radon if your home has elevated indoor radon. [2]
Free testing
We found no statewide free testing program in Tennessee. Ask your county health department whether it runs one.
Testing programs and help
- For questions about total coliform sampling, TDEC directs you to the Environmental Field Office or contract county for your location. TDEC has no funding or financing program for private wells, but links to outside financing programs. [1]
- The Department of Health advises reviewing your results with TDEC's Division of Water Resources; a treatment system may be needed depending on the results. [2]
Buying or selling a home
- Tennessee has no state requirement to sample or test a private water supply, including when a home is sold. If your lender requires a test, ask the lender which parameters it needs; for more than a coliform test, use a private lab or consultant. [1]
State lab and rules
- TDEC certifies laboratories for drinking water analysis and points well owners to its list of certified private labs. [1]
Show the numbers
| Item | Value | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Zone 1 | 39 counties | |
| Zone 2 | 32 counties | |
| Zone 3 | 24 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
- Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation (TDEC), Division of Water Resources, Well Water (page last updated Aug 25, 2026)
- Tennessee Department of Health, Environmental Epidemiology Program: Private Water Supply (page last updated Jun 24, 2026)
- U.S. EPA, Map of Radon Zones, county list (EPA 402/A-16/001, spreadsheet Sep 2025)
Loan test (FHA, VA, USDA) in Tennessee
- 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 Tennessee 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. 6 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tennessee Tech University Water Center Cookeville, TN · You collect the sample with the lab's bottles | Option 3: Bacterial analysis - $40.00 source | Nitrate $15.00 source | Arsenic $15.00 (ICP) $35.00 (GFAA) source | Option 2: Lead analysis - $35.00 (+$10 digestion fee per batch of samples) source | Option 1: Basic water chemistry - $125.00 source | – | – |
Say they take homeowner samples: Tennessee Tech University Water Center.
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 Tennessee 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.
Rutherford County41,998 on wellsSevier County40,479 on wellsRobertson County25,452 on wellsHawkins County21,089 on wellsFayette County20,912 on wellsBlount County15,688 on wellsMcMinn County15,089 on wellsJefferson County14,938 on wellsWeakley County14,608 on wellsCarter County14,573 on wellsCocke County14,090 on wellsHenry County13,753 on wellsMadison County12,500 on wellsGrainger County12,414 on wellsHardeman County12,051 on wellsMonroe County11,436 on wellsCarroll County11,186 on wellsPolk County11,117 on wellsGibson County10,944 on wellsBledsoe County9,794 on wellsBradley County9,694 on wellsMorgan County9,051 on wellsUnion County8,981 on wellsClaiborne County8,862 on wellsChester County8,749 on wellsWashington County8,309 on wellsLawrence County7,745 on wellsHumphreys County7,510 on wellsSequatchie County7,308 on wellsJohnson County7,160 on wellsMarshall County7,080 on wellsHickman County6,519 on wellsWayne County6,337 on wellsBenton County6,259 on wellsLoudon County6,229 on wellsCoffee County6,043 on wellsMeigs County5,982 on wellsWilson County5,773 on wellsStewart County5,589 on wellsJackson County5,500 on wellsCannon County4,801 on wellsAnderson County4,800 on wellsCampbell County4,503 on wellsHancock County4,357 on wellsDickson County4,318 on wellsHaywood County4,064 on wellsMarion County3,920 on wellsKnox County3,678 on wellsMaury County3,520 on wellsMacon County3,424 on wellsMontgomery County3,314 on wellsHamilton County3,020 on wellsShelby County2,819 on wellsLake County2,809 on wellsMoore County2,796 on wellsMcNairy County2,711 on wellsLewis County2,709 on wellsWilliamson County2,678 on wellsLincoln County2,674 on wellsRoane County2,399 on wellsCheatham County2,114 on wellsSmith County2,065 on wellsDavidson County2,040 on wellsTipton County2,030 on wellsGiles County1,953 on wellsUnicoi County1,786 on wellsGreene County1,709 on wellsCrockett County1,693 on wellsWhite County1,692 on wellsCumberland County1,647 on wellsPutnam County1,641 on wellsFentress County1,638 on wellsDyer County1,456 on wellsSumner County1,365 on wellsTrousdale County1,150 on wellsSullivan County1,117 on wellsHouston County1,089 on wells