When you're on a private well, no city utility is testing your water for you. That's your job, and it's an easy one to put off, right up until something tastes, smells, or looks wrong. A little routine testing keeps your family's water safe and catches problems while they're cheap to fix.
How often to test
For most households, once a year is the right rhythm. You should also test any time you notice a change in taste, smell, or color, after any flooding, and after work is done on the well. Buying or selling a property with a well is another good moment for a full inspection and test.
Water trouble now, or planning ahead? Tell us what your well is doing and we will give you a straight answer and a free quote, often the same day.
What to test for
- Bacteria (total coliform and E. coli), the most important safety test.
- Nitrates, which matter especially for households with infants.
- Hardness, iron, and manganese, the usual causes of scale and rust stains.
- Sulfur, the source of that rotten-egg smell.
- pH and total dissolved solids, general indicators of water quality.
Warning signs you shouldn't ignore
A rotten-egg smell, rust or blue-green staining on fixtures, a metallic or salty taste, cloudiness, or a sudden change in any of these all warrant a test. Some of these (like iron and sulfur) can be improved with the right setup, including a spray bar in a storage tank.
What our testing covers
For residential wells, our standard testing covers the most important safety check: bacteria, meaning total coliform and E. coli, which tells you whether your water is safe to drink. For commercial and public-supply wells, or for any well as an add-on for a fee, we can run the full panel above: nitrates, hardness, iron and manganese, sulfur, pH, and total dissolved solids.
Make it part of routine care
The simplest approach is to fold a yearly bacteria test into a regular checkup. Our maintenance and inspection visits include a water-quality sample along with a full look at your pump and system, so you're not tracking it on your own. Reach out to set one up.