Water testing, done right: what to test, where, and what it means
WaterTestAtlas tells you what to test and lists state-certified labs in Michigan, Pennsylvania and Ohio.
Draft — pending expert review · Updated
How we write and review content · How WTA makes money
Other ways to start
- Find a certified lab by state
Water testing comes down to three steps: choose the tests that fit your water, order them from a state-certified lab, and collect the sample exactly as the lab instructs. Our guide on how to test water quality compares a lab test with a mail-in kit and test strips. On a private well, start with our well water testing guide: the yearly tests CDC recommends, and the events that call for another test.
Why people test their water
Most people test for a reason: something about the water changed, a home is changing hands, or someone new in the household needs extra care. If your home has a private well, the testing is up to you. EPA says water from private wells is not regulated by the federal government under the Safe Drinking Water Act, nor by most state governments. Around 15 percent[2] of the U.S. population, or over 43 million[2] people, rely on private wells for their drinking water.
Your water smells, stains or tastes different
CDC advises testing your water if its color, taste or smell changes, because those changes sometimes mean the water got contaminated. A change in the water tells you something is different; it does not tell you what. A certified lab test does.
water tests we cover · water that smells like rotten eggs · brown well water
You are buying or selling a home
A home sale is a common moment to check the water, especially when the home draws from a private well. Ask your lender and your agent what, if anything, the sale calls for.
VA loan · FHA loan
A baby or young child joins your household
For well water, CDC lists a pregnancy in the household and a child starting to live with you among the reasons to test. CDC also warns that high levels of nitrates in your water can make you, and especially babies, sick.
nitrate water test
How we pick labs
Every lab we send you to is certified by your state to test drinking water, and for each test you order that has a state certification of its own. We name the lab before you order. When we suggest labs for your ZIP code, we rank them by best value, easiest and fastest for the tests you need, never by what WaterTestAtlas earns from the order. Our methodology spells out each of these rules, including how we check a lab's certification and where every price we show comes from.
Free and low-cost water testing
Before you pay for a test, check whether a public program can help. CDC suggests contacting your health department to find out what to test for where you live, and notes that these departments or your county government should have a list of the state-certified laboratories in your area. Ask them about free or reduced-cost testing at the same time. If you do pay, our guide to well water testing cost shows verified lab prices and what changes the total.
Free and low-cost programs by state
Recently updated
- Contact Us · Updated
Common questions
Where is the best place to get my water tested?
At a state-certified laboratory. CDC advises using a state-certified lab to test your water, and says your health department or county government should have a list of the state-certified laboratories in your area. Pick a lab that is certified for the tests you need, follow its sampling instructions closely, and keep the report it sends you. Your health department can also help you understand the results and what to do next.
How to get water lab tested?
Choose the tests first, then the lab, then collect the sample exactly as the lab instructs. For a private well, CDC recommends testing at least once every year for total coliform bacteria, nitrates, total dissolved solids and pH, using a state-certified laboratory. Ask your health department which other tests make sense where you live. Fill the lab's bottles, return them within its time limit, and read each result against the benchmark the report names.
Is it worth testing well water?
Yes, for most well owners. EPA says water from private wells is not regulated by the federal government under the Safe Drinking Water Act, nor by most state governments, so nobody else checks it for you. CDC recommends a test at least once every year for total coliform bacteria, nitrates, total dissolved solids and pH, and another whenever the water's color, taste or smell changes. A clean result is useful too: it gives you a baseline.
Sources (2)
- Guidelines for Testing Well Water (opens in a new tab)Centers for Disease Control and Prevention · Retrieved
- Private Drinking Water Wells (opens in a new tab)US Environmental Protection Agency · Retrieved