Well water testing in Pocahontas County, West Virginia
What official data says about private wells in Pocahontas County, what to test for, and the state-certified labs nearby.
About 56% of the county's 8,607 residents. Rank 37 of 55 in West Virginia.
95% range 138 to 625 private-well users (2010 base year). Rank 12 of 55 in West Virginia.
Highest potential (average indoor radon may be greater than 4 pCi/L). EPA says the map should not be used to decide whether an individual home needs testing.
Labs with an address in this county, from the official state lists on this site, matched by ZIP code.
What to test for in Pocahontas County
Private wells are not regulated like public water: EPA advises owners to test their well every year for total coliform bacteria, nitrates, total dissolved solids and pH. Your state's own schedule:
- West Virginia's Office of Laboratory Services (OLS) advises testing at least once a year for coliform bacteria, nitrate and sodium, best in spring and summer after rainy periods, and again after repairing or replacing parts of the well. As an initial set of tests to check common issues, it lists total coliform, regulated metals, secondary metals and combined nitrate + nitrite. source
- The WV Department of Environmental Protection's well fact sheet says to test your water annually for total coliform bacteria, nitrates, pH, total dissolved solids and lead, and to test for fertilizer and pesticide contamination based on surrounding land uses. source
Arsenic. USGS estimates that about 306 people using private wells in Pocahontas County had arsenic above 10 µg/L, EPA's limit for public water (2010 base year; 95% range 138 to 625). USGS describes this kind of estimate as useful "for broad screening of the population at risk", so it says nothing certain about any one well. Arsenic has no taste or smell: test for it by name.
Radon. EPA puts Pocahontas County in Zone 1: highest potential (average indoor radon may be greater than 4 pCi/L). That map is about radon in indoor air, and EPA says it should not be used to decide whether an individual home needs testing. If radon is found in your air and you have a well, EPA suggests testing the water too: see radon in well water.
For anything specific to your home (farms nearby, old plumbing, a new baby, a smell or stain), use the which-tests checklist. When the results arrive, check your numbers against EPA's limits.
Show the numbers
| Item | Value | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Hampshire County | 1,452 people (2010 base year) | |
| Morgan County | 1,117 people (2010 base year) | |
| Berkeley County | 977 people (2010 base year) | |
| Mineral County | 927 people (2010 base year) | |
| Mercer County | 772 people (2010 base year) | |
| Pocahontas County (this county) | 306 people (2010 base year) |
USGS model estimate for broad screening, not a measurement of any well. Only a test tells you about your own well. Source: USGS, Estimated county level domestic well population with arsenic greater than 10 micrograms per liter (Ayotte, Medalie and Qi, 2017), accessed 2026-11-01.
Testing programs and help in West Virginia
- To have your water supply tested for bacteriological safety, complete form SW-253 (Request for Water Analysis) and submit it to your local health department. There is a fee for the sample; your local health department can tell you how much. source
- For more information about water testing for private well owners, including West Virginia's certified drinking water labs, OLS says to contact your local health department or the Office of Laboratory Services. source
Buying a home with a well in Pocahontas County
Loan test (FHA, VA, USDA) in Pocahontas County, WV
- 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.
State-certified labs in Pocahontas County
None of the labs on our West Virginia list has an address in Pocahontas County. Labs elsewhere in the state may take samples by mail or courier: ask the lab, and check the hold time for bacteria before you send one.
Labs on the West Virginia list whose own websites say they take homeowner samples: Pace Analytical Services, LLC - Morgantown WV (Morgantown). Use Check my ZIP to sort labs by distance.
See all West Virginia labs in the finder and filter by the test you need and by labs that take homeowner samples.
- USGS, Estimated use of water in the United States, county-level data for 2015 (Dieter et al., ver. 2.0, 2018)
- USGS, Estimated county level domestic well population with arsenic greater than 10 micrograms per liter (Ayotte, Medalie and Qi, 2017)
- U.S. EPA, Map of Radon Zones, county list (EPA 402/A-16/001)
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 ZCTA to county relationship file (lab ZIP codes to counties)
- WV OLS Environmental Drinking Water Laboratory Certification Program - Laboratory Certified Parameter List (printed Thursday, August 20, 2026)
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