Use a lab Georgia certifies, or a mail-in kit. Across the state, the ones worth testing for are nitrate and radon, plus bacteria every year.
About 1,865,000 people in Georgia get their water from a private well, about 2 in 10 residents.
Georgia 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.
University of Georgia Cooperative Extension (labs certified by Environmental Protection Division): private well testingThe 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 GeorgiaOrder 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 GeorgiaShare 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.
Rare: under 5%Worth checking: 5 to 15%Widespread: 15%+
Lab results: Water Quality Portal (USGS and EPA)
5 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.
| County | People on private wells | Share of residents | Typical well depth |
|---|---|---|---|
| Coweta County | 50,358 | 34% | – |
| Carroll County | 39,896 | 33% | – |
| Forsyth County | 36,186 | 14% | – |
| Hall County | 33,126 | 16% | – |
| Lowndes County | 32,402 | 27% | 283 ft |
| Effingham County | 29,872 | 46% | 400 ft |
| Jackson County | 29,351 | 39% | – |
| Bulloch County | 29,289 | 36% | 460 ft |
| Newton County | 27,947 | 25% | – |
| Walton County | 27,703 | 29% | – |
| Laurens County | 26,626 | 54% | 380 ft |
| Paulding County | 24,966 | 15% | – |
| Lumpkin County | 24,838 | 74% | – |
| Gilmer County | 24,319 | 78% | – |
| Madison County | 24,008 | 80% | – |
| Coffee County | 23,694 | 55% | 580 ft |
| Henry County | 22,467 | 9% | – |
| Colquitt County | 22,258 | 48% | 520 ft |
| Glynn County | 21,735 | 26% | – |
| Troup County | 21,049 | 30% | – |
| White County | 20,633 | 74% | – |
| Fayette County | 20,250 | 17% | – |
| Bartow County | 19,754 | 18% | – |
| Cherokee County | 19,717 | 7% | – |
| Harris County | 19,316 | 56% | – |
| Monroe County | 18,903 | 68% | – |
| Habersham County | 18,825 | 41% | – |
| Barrow County | 18,325 | 22% | – |
| Hart County | 17,483 | 68% | – |
| Floyd County | 17,440 | 18% | – |
| Fannin County | 17,146 | 68% | – |
| Murray County | 16,669 | 42% | – |
| Gordon County | 16,399 | 28% | – |
| Spalding County | 16,375 | 24% | – |
| Burke County | 16,299 | 66% | 465 ft |
| Wayne County | 16,280 | 54% | 780 ft |
| Oconee County | 16,208 | 39% | – |
| Whitfield County | 16,058 | 16% | – |
| Columbia County | 15,836 | 10% | – |
| Pike County | 15,725 | 83% | – |
| Brantley County | 15,721 | 87% | – |
| Union County | 15,271 | 62% | – |
| Grady County | 15,045 | 57% | 423 ft |
| Haralson County | 14,940 | 50% | – |
| Thomas County | 14,912 | 33% | 312 ft |
| Pickens County | 14,821 | 45% | – |
| Franklin County | 14,356 | 61% | – |
| Jones County | 13,927 | 49% | – |
| Pierce County | 13,866 | 70% | 620 ft |
| Bryan County | 13,573 | 30% | – |
| Camden County | 13,572 | 25% | – |
| Banks County | 13,491 | 75% | – |
| Putnam County | 13,275 | 60% | – |
| Morgan County | 13,158 | 65% | – |
| Walker County | 13,034 | 19% | – |
| Meriwether County | 12,944 | 63% | – |
| Butts County | 12,801 | 50% | – |
| Lee County | 12,799 | 39% | 212 ft |
| Chatham County | 12,793 | 4% | – |
| Worth County | 12,687 | 61% | 460 ft |
| Decatur County | 12,389 | 42% | 193 ft |
| Baldwin County | 12,342 | 28% | – |
| Dawson County | 12,311 | 46% | – |
| Tift County | 12,119 | 29% | 420 ft |
| Appling County | 12,102 | 66% | 660 ft |
| Oglethorpe County | 11,928 | 80% | – |
| Tattnall County | 11,900 | 52% | 620 ft |
| McDuffie County | 11,828 | 55% | – |
| Elbert County | 11,800 | 60% | – |
| Dodge County | 11,662 | 59% | 320 ft |
| Upson County | 11,577 | 42% | – |
| Gwinnett County | 11,489 | 1% | – |
| Bibb County | 11,259 | 7% | – |
| Douglas County | 11,184 | 8% | – |
| Liberty County | 11,034 | 17% | – |
| Long County | 10,840 | 67% | – |
| Lamar County | 10,768 | 58% | – |
| Washington County | 10,756 | 54% | 476 ft |
| Emanuel County | 10,722 | 47% | 420 ft |
| Sumter County | 10,552 | 36% | 208 ft |
| Toombs County | 10,545 | 39% | 688 ft |
| Rabun County | 10,516 | 62% | – |
| Berrien County | 10,420 | 57% | 450 ft |
| Crawford County | 10,393 | 86% | 342 ft |
| Rockdale County | 10,262 | 11% | – |
| Screven County | 10,240 | 73% | 340 ft |
| Polk County | 9,804 | 23% | – |
| Mitchell County | 9,667 | 44% | 220 ft |
| Ware County | 9,597 | 26% | 580 ft |
| Brooks County | 9,481 | 58% | 300 ft |
| Jeff Davis County | 9,178 | 62% | 700 ft |
| Heard County | 9,027 | 79% | – |
| Dougherty County | 8,941 | 10% | 205 ft |
| Stephens County | 8,837 | 33% | – |
| Jasper County | 8,762 | 60% | – |
| Cook County | 8,572 | 50% | 400 ft |
| Peach County | 8,336 | 30% | 313 ft |
| Chattooga County | 8,334 | 33% | – |
| Crisp County | 7,867 | 39% | 300 ft |
| Bacon County | 7,552 | 68% | 600 ft |
| Houston County | 7,361 | 4% | 350 ft |
| Richmond County | 7,294 | 4% | – |
| Jefferson County | 7,075 | 45% | 428 ft |
| Greene County | 7,067 | 37% | – |
| Charlton County | 6,794 | 54% | – |
| Catoosa County | 6,534 | 10% | – |
| Bleckley County | 6,462 | 51% | 398 ft |
| Twiggs County | 6,407 | 80% | – |
| Towns County | 6,277 | 50% | – |
| Candler County | 6,033 | 55% | 512 ft |
| McIntosh County | 6,010 | 55% | – |
| Irwin County | 5,839 | 60% | 445 ft |
| Lincoln County | 5,812 | 76% | – |
| Lanier County | 5,741 | 58% | 380 ft |
| Marion County | 5,733 | 76% | – |
| Seminole County | 5,686 | 62% | 180 ft |
| Dade County | 5,676 | 35% | – |
| Wheeler County | 5,593 | 75% | 375 ft |
| Jenkins County | 5,487 | 63% | 450 ft |
| Evans County | 5,297 | 49% | 592 ft |
| Early County | 5,168 | 48% | 150 ft |
| Johnson County | 5,085 | 55% | – |
| Fulton County | 4,944 | under 1% | – |
| Atkinson County | 4,902 | 59% | 492 ft |
| Macon County | 4,856 | 40% | 318 ft |
| Wilkes County | 4,854 | 51% | – |
| Ben Hill County | 4,836 | 28% | 458 ft |
| Montgomery County | 4,675 | 54% | 600 ft |
| Hancock County | 4,583 | 52% | – |
| Pulaski County | 4,541 | 46% | 320 ft |
| Telfair County | 4,390 | 35% | 375 ft |
| Taylor County | 4,246 | 54% | – |
| Miller County | 4,198 | 70% | 160 ft |
| Dooly County | 4,174 | 37% | 300 ft |
| Wilcox County | 4,059 | 46% | 300 ft |
| Muscogee County | 4,000 | 2% | – |
| Wilkinson County | 3,981 | 45% | – |
| Treutlen County | 3,569 | 56% | – |
| Terrell County | 3,450 | 38% | 210 ft |
| Talbot County | 3,337 | 58% | – |
| Turner County | 3,282 | 36% | 450 ft |
| Echols County | 3,233 | 87% | 245 ft |
| Clinch County | 3,048 | 45% | 580 ft |
| Schley County | 2,840 | 62% | – |
| Warren County | 2,836 | 54% | – |
| Baker County | 2,245 | 78% | 160 ft |
| Randolph County | 2,199 | 34% | 216 ft |
| Glascock County | 2,029 | 70% | – |
| Webster County | 1,852 | 79% | 330 ft |
| Clay County | 1,610 | 57% | 215 ft |
| Clayton County | 1,522 | under 1% | – |
| Stewart County | 1,388 | 26% | – |
| Calhoun County | 1,267 | 23% | 190 ft |
| Chattahoochee County | 1,171 | 12% | – |
| Taliaferro County | 1,112 | 71% | – |
| Quitman County | 900 | 40% | – |
| DeKalb County | 827 | under 1% | – |
| Cobb County | 100 | under 1% | – |
| Clarke County | 0 | 0% | – |
Georgia doesn't require routine testing of existing private wells. Keeping a well safe is up to the owner, so test for bacteria and nitrate every year.
Otherwise, use a lab certified by Georgia for drinking water. The state's list is linked on this page.