Which well water tests do I need?
Tick everything that applies. The checklist uses the conditions EPA and CDC list for private wells, word for word, and shows the source for every test it adds. Nothing you tick leaves your browser.
The official table this checklist uses
EPA's private-well page pairs conditions near your home with the tests to ask for. CDC adds pregnancy and a child moving in as reasons to test. Federal limits do not apply to private wells, so these are recommendations, not rules.
| If this applies | Ask the lab for | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Flooding, land disturbance, new construction or industrial activity near the well | Re-test your baseline panel | EPA |
| The well or pump was repaired or replaced | Re-test your baseline panel | EPA |
| You have heard of well-water problems in your area | Re-test your baseline panel | EPA |
| Someone in the home is pregnant or nursing | Re-test your baseline panel | CDC |
| A baby or young child lives here (or is about to) | Re-test your baseline panel | CDC |
| An elderly adult lives here | Re-test your baseline panel | EPA |
| Intensive farming nearby (crops, livestock, manure) | Nitrate, Nitrite, Pesticides, Total coliform bacteria (and E. coli) | EPA |
| Coal or other mining nearby | Metals, pH, Corrosivity | EPA |
| Gas drilling nearby | Chloride, Sodium, Barium, Strontium | EPA |
| A dump, junkyard, landfill, factory, gas station or dry cleaner nearby | Volatile organic compounds (VOCs), Total dissolved solids (TDS), pH, Sulfate, Chloride, Metals | EPA |
| Buried fuel tanks nearby, or the water smells of gasoline or fuel oil | Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) | EPA |
| A heavily salted road or the sea nearby | Chloride, Total dissolved solids (TDS), Sodium | EPA |
| Radon found in your indoor air, or your region is known for radon | Radon | EPA |
| Lead pipes or a lead service line in the home, or the home was built before 1986 | pH, Lead, Copper | EPA |
| Corroded pipes or plumbing | Corrosivity, pH, Lead | EPA |
| Water-treatment equipment wears out fast | pH, Corrosivity | EPA |
| You need a water softener for hardness | Manganese, Iron | EPA |
| Repeated stomach or gut illness in the household | Total coliform bacteria (and E. coli) | EPA |
| Bad taste or smell (for example rotten eggs) | Hydrogen sulfide, Corrosivity, Metals | EPA |
| Stains on fixtures or laundry | Iron, Copper, Manganese | EPA |
| Scaly residue, soap doesn't lather | Hardness | EPA |
| Water looks cloudy, frothy or colored | Color, Detergents (foaming agents) | EPA |
| Water tastes salty | Chloride, Total dissolved solids (TDS), Sodium | EPA |
SourcesChecked 1 Nov 2026. General information, not medical advice. Your state or county health department knows what is common in local groundwater.
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