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Getting your well water tested in Nebraska

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

Compare lab tests Find my county

About 282,000 people in Nebraska get their water from a private well, about 1 in 7 residents.

Three ways to get tested, cheapest first.

2

A lab Nebraska 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 Nebraska
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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 Nebraska

Look up a well's drilling report in Nebraska

What turns up in Nebraska 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
Manganese20%177 of 902Nitrate16%179 of 1,097Arsenic10%51 of 510Uranium8%38 of 489Leadunder 1%1 of 305Radon0%0 of 143Fluoride0%0 of 792
StainsNot a health risk
Iron stains20%179 of 879

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 Dodge County (about 2 in 10 wells), Banner County (about 2 in 10 wells), Burt County (about 1 in 7 wells).
  • Arsenic shows up most in Washington County (about 1 in 11 wells), Douglas County (about 1 in 18 wells).

Find your county.

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

DouglasLancasterLincolnSarpyScotts Bluff
Every county in Nebraska: people on wells and typical depth
CountyPeople on private wellsShare of residentsTypical well depth
Lancaster County20,1336%164 ft
Hall County12,30520%105 ft
Lincoln County10,59431%197 ft
Buffalo County10,49721%224 ft
Scotts Bluff County9,26726%80 ft
Platte County9,07526%105 ft
Saunders County8,33937%123 ft
Douglas County8,2691%160 ft
Cass County7,61929%85 ft
Sarpy County7,3314%120 ft
Washington County7,21135%205 ft
Dodge County5,90216%62 ft
Madison County5,74516%121 ft
Gage County5,71926%103 ft
Seward County5,68133%197 ft
Dawson County5,32822%208 ft
Howard County4,58471%119 ft
Holt County4,57545%115 ft
Adams County4,25714%173 ft
Custer County4,17840%228 ft
Otoe County4,06326%81 ft
Merrick County3,85050%51 ft
Cedar County3,82846%110 ft
Butler County3,59043%90 ft
Knox County3,56443%110 ft
Pierce County3,39746%150 ft
York County3,38024%130 ft
Hamilton County3,28135%151 ft
Cuming County3,16735%110 ft
Keith County2,95836%206 ft
Antelope County2,86245%190 ft
Saline County2,75319%132 ft
Dakota County2,60212%169 ft
Stanton County2,59044%140 ft
Colfax County2,55824%77 ft
Red Willow County2,52824%124 ft
Cherry County2,51946%175 ft
Wayne County2,44529%178 ft
Thurston County2,42436%141 ft
Kearney County2,33035%165 ft
Johnson County2,32646%135 ft
Richardson County2,29929%79 ft
Sheridan County2,21943%145 ft
Burt County2,15932%138 ft
Polk County2,14841%80 ft
Boone County2,12740%202 ft
Jefferson County2,05728%140 ft
Phelps County2,01823%215 ft
Dawes County1,98725%120 ft
Dixon County1,98735%128 ft
Nemaha County1,91329%65 ft
Box Butte County1,91218%247 ft
Cheyenne County1,86020%240 ft
Morrill County1,84841%95 ft
Clay County1,77729%168 ft
Nuckolls County1,66241%106 ft
Thayer County1,50130%131 ft
Fillmore County1,49427%198 ft
Chase County1,47238%280 ft
Sherman County1,37346%220 ft
Nance County1,31639%105 ft
Valley County1,31332%180 ft
Webster County1,24937%110 ft
Perkins County1,17541%370 ft
Furnas County1,16725%72 ft
Harlan County1,16739%90 ft
Gosper County1,15861%260 ft
Pawnee County1,15745%52 ft
Frontier County1,06842%260 ft
Brown County1,03436%180 ft
Garden County1,00554%86 ft
Greeley County97645%225 ft
Franklin County96633%182 ft
Hitchcock County96137%106 ft
Sioux County89078%120 ft
Kimball County84825%245 ft
Garfield County81345%205 ft
Boyd County75242%68 ft
Dundy County67841%124 ft
Rock County64752%150 ft
Deuel County63034%199 ft
Hayes County62473%272 ft
Banner County61191%158 ft
Wheeler County60278%121 ft
Loup County54089%180 ft
Keya Paha County53269%116 ft
Thomas County50475%65 ft
Grant County44673%100 ft
Logan County44462%210 ft
Arthur County41896%222 ft
McPherson County38997%285 ft
Blaine County34079%112 ft
Hooker County19928%221 ft

Questions people ask about well water in Nebraska

Does Nebraska require private wells to be tested?

Nebraska 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 Nebraska?

Otherwise, use a lab certified by Nebraska 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 Water, Energy, and Environment.