Public water systems in the U.S. and Canada are required to align with federal drinking water standards and regulations and deliver annual water quality reports to help you understand what’s in your water. For private wells, on the other hand, there is no such requirement — which means you’re responsible for testing your own water and managing your quality.
But how do you test well water? The best approach is to work with a local water expert who has expertise and capabilities for the testing needs specific to well water. For private wells, it is recommended to test your water at least annually for total coliform bacteria, nitrates, total dissolved solids and pH levels. Depending on your concerns and where you live, your local water expert may also recommend additional testing based on other common well water concerns like PFAS (forever chemicals), nitrates, arsenic and more.
Here’s what to know about private well water, including how to test it.
How To Test Your Well Water
If your home relies on a private water well, regular testing is key to maintaining cleaner, safer drinking water — and protecting your family from chemical contaminants, bacteria and other health risks.* While DIY water test kits and test strips may offer quick results, they may fall short of delivering the accuracy and next steps you need. They also leave you to decide what you need to test for.
To protect the quality of your water supply, follow this expert-recommended process:
1. Decide What To Test For
Start by identifying which contaminants are most important to check. According to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), every household using a private well should test annually for:
- Coliform bacteria
- Nitrates
- Total dissolved solids (TDS)
- pH levels
Depending on your location and land use near your water source, you may also want to test for:
- Arsenic
- Lead
- Iron
- Copper
- Sulfate
- Tannins
- Chloride
Pregnant or nursing individuals — or households with infants — should test for nitrates more frequently due to the increased health risks.
2. Find a Certified Laboratory
For reliable, comprehensive testing, choose a state-certified lab. These labs follow strict protocols that help ensure consistency and accuracy. Culligan offers professional testing through its IL EPA-certified lab, with additional support from local experts who understand your area’s unique water quality challenges.
3. Collect a Sample
Proper water sample collection is crucial for meaningful results. Follow your lab’s instructions carefully. In general:
- Use clean, contaminant-free containers.
- Run your water for several minutes before collecting.
- Avoid touching the inside of the container or cap.
- Label and store samples as directed.
Your local Culligan team can assist with proper sampling during your in-home water test.
4. Send the Sample for Analysis
Once you’ve collected your sample, you’ll need to promptly ship it to the lab. Most labs provide test results within a few business days. If you worked with Culligan to collect your sample, your expert will track the process and keep you informed every step of the way.
5. Interpret the Results
Reading a water test report isn’t always simple. Your local expert will walk you through the findings and recommend the right water treatment solutions based on your unique results, whether that means installing a reverse osmosis system, upgrading your filtration system, adding a water softener or simply keeping an eye on your well water over time.
Why Test Well Water?
Because water is a matter of public health, regular testing and treatment are part of municipal water systems. However, water from a private well doesn’t all come from the same source or pass through the same facilities. This water also isn’t regulated by public health agencies such as the U.S. EPA, which sets limits on more than 90 contaminants that could be present in drinking water, and the Federal-Provincial-Territorial Committee on Drinking Water (CDW), which develops drinking water quality guidelines in Canada.
This all means one thing: Whether you’re moving to a location with well water for the first time or have been using a well for years, regular well water testing should be on your home’s maintenance checklist.
How Do Well Water Issues Occur?
Well water typically comes from groundwater, and naturally occurring sources and human activities can impact its quality. Where you live and where your water comes from can play a key role.
For example, your chances of nitrate in your water are increased in agricultural areas, while industrial areas can contribute to certain types of chemical contaminants, like PFAS. Hard water is also particularly common with well water.
Pay attention to new potential pollution sources in your area — for example, agricultural or industrial changes — as these can impact the groundwater, natural filtration and more. Testing regularly will help you pinpoint when changes occurred, making it easier to figure out what may have caused an emerging issue.
You should also test your water if you hear about known problems in your area, if there is flooding or new construction nearby, if you replace or repair your well system, and if you notice a change in your water quality.
Identifying Well Water Problems
Some of these well water problems have obvious symptoms — poor taste, bad odor, cloudy appearance, residue and hard water stains. But other water quality issues aren’t always that apparent. For example, arsenic, copper, lead, E. coli, radon and other microscopic impurities are virtually impossible to detect on your own.
Culligan’s free, in-home water test retrieves immediate insights about your water quality, including some of the water problems mentioned above. Based on your water issues and geographical area, we may recommend that your water undergo more extensive analytical testing in our IL EPA-certified lab to uncover other hard-to-identify water issues. The water-testing experts in the Culligan lab have a deep understanding of the problems specific to well water and can test your water accordingly.
Once your water has been appropriately analyzed, your local Culligan expert will discuss the results and recommend the right well water treatment solution for your home.
Take our quiz to find the right solution for your home.
What Happens After Your Well Water Test?
Once you have your well water test results, you could take one or more of the following steps:
- If you have hard water, you should research water softeners. Well water softeners reduce the presence of minerals like calcium and magnesium that cause hard water. This can cause dry and dull hair and skin, limescale buildup around your home and more. A water softener removes these minerals, leaving your home cleaner and your hair and skin feeling revived.
- If your well is allowing contaminants into your water supply, a whole house water filtration system can help. After being installed where your main water line enters your house, these systems can reduce iron, sulfur, PFAS, arsenic, nitrate or other elements in your water.
- If drinking water safety is your main concern, you may prefer a reverse osmosis system. These systems typically work under your sink to reduce the presence of contaminants and make tap water safer and purer-tasting.
Well Water FAQs
Here are a few important things to know about well water:
What is Well Water?
Well water is often groundwater, which is water held underground in natural “tanks” made of permeable rock. These tanks are called aquifers, and they’re refilled when rainwater filters down through layers of earth.
Although rainwater can potentially pick up bacteria and other impurities, the ground acts as a natural filter, cleaning it to some degree as it seeps down into the aquifer. However, you should keep in mind that the water supply may require additional filtration with a well water filter.
Can You Drink Well Water?
Wells can be a source of safe drinking water — but first, water quality testing is in order. Remember, not all bacteria and contaminant types have obvious symptoms, so you shouldn’t rely on guesswork to decide whether to trust your drinking water.
How Are Wells Constructed?
The way your private well is constructed plays a significant role in your water quality and what kind of testing might be necessary. That’s because different construction methods access aquifers at different depths — and deeper doesn’t always mean cleaner.
According to the EPA, there are three basic types of wells:
- Dug: These are shallow wells, often created by hand. Because they access water near the surface, they’re more vulnerable to surface water contamination — including bacteria, nitrates and runoff from agriculture or nearby septic systems.
- Driven: Built by driving pipes 30 to 50 feet into the ground, these wells are slightly more protected than dug wells, but still considered relatively shallow. Regular water testing is essential, especially after flooding or land disturbances.
- Drilled: These are created using heavy-duty drilling equipment and can reach thousands of feet underground. While they’re typically less susceptible to surface pollutants, they may still contain naturally occurring contaminants like iron, arsenic or hard water minerals — all of which require specific testing.
No matter the type, all well water systems should be tested regularly. The construction method just helps determine what you’re most at risk for — and what to look for when you review your test results.
Get Your Well Water Tested Today
Whether you’ve never had a water test or haven’t had one in a while, now is the perfect time. Our in-home water tests can provide results in 30 minutes in most cases — and your Culligan expert will be ready to explain every detail.
Schedule your free, in-home water test and consultation to start taking control of your water quality.
*Contaminants may not be present in your water.
