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Getting your well water tested in Kansas

Use a lab Kansas certifies, or a mail-in kit. Across the state, the ones worth testing for are manganese, arsenic and nitrate, plus bacteria every year.

Compare lab tests Find my county

About 496,000 people in Kansas get their water from a private well, about 2 in 10 residents.

Three ways to get tested, cheapest first.

2

A lab Kansas 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.

How to find a certified lab
3

A 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 Kansas

Look up a well's drilling report in Kansas

What turns up in Kansas 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.

Tested wells over the limit, statewide
Manganese34%134 of 397Arsenic18%68 of 386Nitrate11%46 of 408Uranium4%8 of 179Lead1%3 of 357Fluorideunder 1%1 of 438Radon0%0 of 37
GermsTest every year, whatever the chart says
Coliform bacteria74%199 of 268
StainsNot a health risk
Iron stains31%135 of 438

Rare: under 5%Worth checking: 5 to 15%Widespread: 15%+

Lab results: Water Quality Portal (USGS and EPA)

Where it shows up most

Find your county.

5 counties have a full report with local test results and well depths.

CowleyHarveyJacksonSedgwickSumner
Every county in Kansas: people on wells and typical depth
CountyPeople on private wellsShare of residentsTypical well depth
Sedgwick County175,15733%55 ft
Reno County31,87151%60 ft
Butler County22,73034%90 ft
Riley County20,88129%80 ft
Geary County13,77237%100 ft
Harvey County12,81338%65 ft
Saline County12,78024%50 ft
Shawnee County9,2795%60 ft
Barton County8,94935%65 ft
McPherson County8,47528%72 ft
Douglas County8,1407%100 ft
Finney County8,04721%248 ft
Ellis County7,54426%50 ft
Sumner County7,19832%50 ft
Dickinson County6,71436%76 ft
Ford County6,59419%165 ft
Wyandotte County6,4014%87 ft
Leavenworth County6,0887%102 ft
Pottawatomie County5,17320%86 ft
Marion County4,20836%70 ft
Johnson County3,947under 1%100 ft
Kingman County3,78451%62 ft
Rice County3,60538%59 ft
Franklin County3,32413%126 ft
Jefferson County2,90816%60 ft
Cowley County2,7868%82 ft
Pratt County2,70530%95 ft
Jackson County2,68020%80 ft
Ottawa County2,66246%72 ft
Lyon County2,5188%32 ft
Gray County2,44343%220 ft
Cloud County2,41927%98 ft
Clay County2,23828%87 ft
Wabaunsee County2,19332%80 ft
Montgomery County2,1687%80 ft
Thomas County2,11727%178 ft
Morris County2,09039%85 ft
Stafford County2,01650%68 ft
Cherokee County1,94210%200 ft
Nemaha County1,91719%70 ft
Washington County1,77232%80 ft
Brown County1,67718%71 ft
Seward County1,6337%288 ft
Pawnee County1,62926%70 ft
Ellsworth County1,61725%91 ft
Marshall County1,56816%75 ft
Grant County1,52221%384 ft
Phillips County1,51130%57 ft
Norton County1,45027%94 ft
Kearny County1,42836%205 ft
Doniphan County1,41919%66 ft
Atchison County1,3398%63 ft
Sherman County1,31122%225 ft
Labette County1,2726%59 ft
Allen County1,25310%36 ft
Haskell County1,24033%412 ft
Stevens County1,23323%348 ft
Gove County1,21945%75 ft
Sheridan County1,21049%140 ft
Chase County1,19146%51 ft
Osage County1,1747%105 ft
Barber County1,12627%58 ft
Osborne County1,11932%45 ft
Scott County1,10721%147 ft
Rawlins County1,09443%145 ft
Miami County1,0933%83 ft
Harper County1,08220%50 ft
Decatur County1,07839%105 ft
Kiowa County1,01841%118 ft
Coffey County1,01512%60 ft
Meade County1,00925%200 ft
Graham County92738%66 ft
Cheyenne County92135%150 ft
Rooks County90318%52 ft
Ness County88433%55 ft
Lincoln County84929%104 ft
Rush County83728%160 ft
Wilson County82710%47 ft
Edwards County81128%75 ft
Neosho County7535%70 ft
Mitchell County74813%40 ft
Hodgeman County72042%98 ft
Wichita County69332%146 ft
Trego County69125%65 ft
Wallace County65543%138 ft
Hamilton County65426%256 ft
Russell County6229%66 ft
Logan County61022%84 ft
Crawford County5892%29 ft
Republic County58713%60 ft
Lane County57537%78 ft
Greenwood County5529%44 ft
Jewell County54419%60 ft
Smith County53215%59 ft
Stanton County50924%324 ft
Clark County48825%100 ft
Linn County4885%32 ft
Chautauqua County48514%95 ft
Comanche County46928%80 ft
Greeley County44134%133 ft
Morton County43316%240 ft
Woodson County30910%80 ft
Elk County25010%100 ft
Anderson County2223%76 ft
Bourbon County38under 1%100 ft

Questions people ask about well water in Kansas

Does Kansas require private wells to be tested?

Kansas 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.

Where can I get my well water tested in Kansas?

Otherwise, use a lab certified by Kansas 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: Kansas Department of Health and Environment.