Your county health department
New Jersey 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 Environmental Protection: private well testingGetting your well water tested in New Jersey
Use a lab New Jersey certifies, or a mail-in kit. Across the state, the ones worth testing for are manganese, radon and nitrate, plus bacteria every year.
About 755,000 people in New Jersey get their water from a private well, about 1 in 12 residents.
Three ways to get tested, cheapest first.
A lab New Jersey 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 New JerseyA 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 New Jersey
Buying a house or drilling a new well in New Jersey?
Under the Private Well Testing Act (N.J.S.A. 58:12A-26 et seq.), every sale of property with a private potable well requires a water test before closing of title, and landlords must test at least every five years.
What turns up in New Jersey 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.
Manganese12%102 of 824Radon11%22 of 204Nitrate8%52 of 660Uranium3%7 of 276Arsenic2%18 of 727Lead1%6 of 417Fluorideunder 1%1 of 674
GermsTest every year, whatever the chart says
Coliform bacteria18%19 of 108StainsNot a health risk
Iron stains33%278 of 845
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 Salem County (about 4 in 10 wells), Cumberland County (about 2 in 10 wells), Atlantic County (about 1 in 10 wells).
- Arsenic shows up most in Hunterdon County (about 2 in 10 wells).
Find your county.
12 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 New Jersey: people on wells and typical depth
| County | People on private wells | Share of residents | Typical well depth |
|---|---|---|---|
| Morris County | 87,541 | 17% | 250 ft |
| Hunterdon County | 76,425 | 59% | 250 ft |
| Sussex County | 72,207 | 50% | 200 ft |
| Burlington County | 62,918 | 14% | 125 ft |
| Cumberland County | 58,711 | 38% | 100 ft |
| Bergen County | 54,103 | 6% | 200 ft |
| Atlantic County | 42,606 | 16% | 100 ft |
| Warren County | 40,775 | 37% | 200 ft |
| Ocean County | 37,939 | 6% | 60 ft |
| Monmouth County | 37,489 | 6% | 100 ft |
| Gloucester County | 37,061 | 12% | 100 ft |
| Cape May County | 36,839 | 39% | 50 ft |
| Salem County | 26,163 | 40% | 90 ft |
| Passaic County | 23,757 | 5% | 200 ft |
| Middlesex County | 20,039 | 2% | 180 ft |
| Mercer County | 17,386 | 4% | 200 ft |
| Somerset County | 13,555 | 4% | 250 ft |
| Camden County | 7,603 | 1% | 100 ft |
| Essex County | 1,152 | under 1% | 200 ft |
| Union County | 248 | under 1% | 250 ft |
| Hudson County | 0 | 0% | – |
Questions people ask about well water in New Jersey
Does New Jersey require private wells to be tested?
Under the Private Well Testing Act (N.J.S.A. 58:12A-26 et seq.), every sale of property with a private potable well requires a water test before closing of title, and landlords must test at least every five years.
Where can I get my well water tested in New Jersey?
Otherwise, use a lab certified by New Jersey 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 Environmental Protection.