Your county health department
Connecticut doesn't run a statewide free testing program that we know of. Some county health departments still test wells or sell kits, so call yours first.
Department of Public Health: private well testingGetting your well water tested in Connecticut
Use a lab Connecticut certifies, or a mail-in kit. Across the state, the ones worth testing for are manganese, nitrate and radon, plus bacteria every year.
About 493,000 people in Connecticut get their water from a private well, about 1 in 7 residents.
Three ways to get tested, cheapest first.
A lab Connecticut certifies
The state's list of labs certified for drinking water. Many sell bottles you pick up or get by mail, and their results count for a home sale or loan.
Labs certified by ConnecticutA mail-in kit
Order online, fill the bottles at your kitchen tap and get results by email in about a week. Full well tests run about $210 to $220.
Compare kits for Connecticut
Buying a house or drilling a new well in Connecticut?
Under Section 19a-37 of the Connecticut General Statutes, water testing is required for all new private wells, but testing at home sale is not required by law.
What turns up in Connecticut wells.
Share of tested wells over the limit, from lab tests the USGS, EPA and state agencies collected since 2000. Your own well needs its own test.
Manganese19%20 of 108Nitrate9%11 of 119Radon7%3 of 45Arsenic0%0 of 111Uranium0%0 of 83Lead0%0 of 83Fluoride0%0 of 106
GermsTest every year, whatever the chart says
Coliform bacteria21%6 of 29StainsNot a health risk
Iron stains19%26 of 134
Rare: under 5%Worth checking: 5 to 15%Widespread: 15%+
Lab results: Water Quality Portal (USGS and EPA)
Where it shows up most
- Nitrate shows up most in New London County (about 1 in 4 wells).
Find your county.
4 counties have a full report with local test results and well depths.
No full report for that county yet. The statewide results above still apply, and so do the three ways to get tested.
Every county in Connecticut: people on wells and typical depth
| County | People on private wells | Share of residents | Typical well depth |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fairfield County | 96,248 | 10% | – |
| Litchfield County | 66,566 | 36% | – |
| New Haven County | 64,293 | 7% | – |
| New London County | 61,168 | 23% | – |
| Tolland County | 58,405 | 39% | – |
| Windham County | 52,619 | 45% | – |
| Middlesex County | 50,884 | 31% | – |
| Hartford County | 43,263 | 5% | – |
Questions people ask about well water in Connecticut
Does Connecticut require private wells to be tested?
Under Section 19a-37 of the Connecticut General Statutes, water testing is required for all new private wells, but testing at home sale is not required by law.
Where can I get my well water tested in Connecticut?
Otherwise, use a lab certified by Connecticut for drinking water. The state's list is linked on this page.
Where these numbers come from
- How many people use wells: EPA estimates from the 2020 Census.
- Lab tests: Water Quality Portal (USGS and EPA), well samples since 2000.
- State programs and links: Department of Public Health.