Free or low-cost state testing
NMED offers free well water screening at water fairs and limited free nitrate, iron and fluoride screening at some field offices; these do not replace certified lab tests.
Environment Department: private well testingGetting your well water tested in New Mexico
New Mexico has free or low-cost well testing. Across the state, the ones worth testing for are manganese, arsenic, uranium, nitrate and fluoride, plus bacteria every year.
About 251,000 people in New Mexico get their water from a private well, about 1 in 8 residents.
Three ways to get tested, cheapest first.
A lab New Mexico 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 MexicoA 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 MexicoWhat turns up in New Mexico 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.
Manganese15%114 of 743Arsenic14%100 of 723Uranium12%79 of 632Nitrate10%76 of 760Fluoride8%74 of 901Radon2%3 of 133Leadunder 1%3 of 678
GermsTest every year, whatever the chart says
Coliform bacteria11%12 of 113StainsNot a health risk
Iron stains19%140 of 742
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 San Juan County (about 2 in 10 wells), Otero County (about 1 in 7 wells), Doña Ana County (about 1 in 8 wells).
- Arsenic shows up most in Sandoval County (about 4 in 10 wells), Rio Arriba County (about 2 in 10 wells), Bernalillo County (about 2 in 10 wells).
- Uranium shows up most in Doña Ana County (about 3 in 10 wells), Rio Arriba County (about 2 in 10 wells), Roosevelt County (about 1 in 11 wells).
Find your county.
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.
Every county in New Mexico: people on wells and typical depth
| County | People on private wells | Share of residents | Typical well depth |
|---|---|---|---|
| McKinley County | 28,212 | 39% | 400 ft |
| Valencia County | 27,191 | 36% | 175 ft |
| Santa Fe County | 24,986 | 16% | 280 ft |
| San Juan County | 18,341 | 15% | 49 ft |
| Sandoval County | 15,443 | 10% | 235 ft |
| Bernalillo County | 15,302 | 2% | 200 ft |
| Lea County | 12,715 | 17% | 150 ft |
| Rio Arriba County | 12,503 | 31% | 100 ft |
| Taos County | 12,131 | 35% | 160 ft |
| Otero County | 10,435 | 15% | 215 ft |
| Luna County | 8,409 | 33% | 254 ft |
| Torrance County | 6,561 | 44% | 205 ft |
| Cibola County | 6,187 | 23% | 300 ft |
| Chaves County | 5,897 | 9% | 170 ft |
| Grant County | 5,894 | 21% | 265 ft |
| San Miguel County | 5,407 | 20% | 223 ft |
| Doña Ana County | 4,912 | 2% | 160 ft |
| Socorro County | 4,492 | 27% | 150 ft |
| Lincoln County | 3,891 | 19% | 200 ft |
| Eddy County | 3,168 | 5% | 200 ft |
| Roosevelt County | 2,664 | 14% | 114 ft |
| Catron County | 2,496 | 70% | 257 ft |
| Curry County | 2,276 | 5% | 393 ft |
| Mora County | 2,182 | 52% | 161 ft |
| Sierra County | 2,122 | 18% | 137 ft |
| Colfax County | 1,438 | 12% | 205 ft |
| Quay County | 1,413 | 16% | 140 ft |
| Hidalgo County | 1,292 | 31% | 240 ft |
| Union County | 1,145 | 28% | 170 ft |
| Guadalupe County | 696 | 16% | 141 ft |
| De Baca County | 367 | 22% | 140 ft |
| Harding County | 357 | 54% | 180 ft |
| Los Alamos County | 35 | under 1% | – |
Questions people ask about well water in New Mexico
Does New Mexico require private wells to be tested?
New Mexico 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 New Mexico?
NMED offers free well water screening at water fairs and limited free nitrate, iron and fluoride screening at some field offices; these do not replace certified lab tests. Otherwise, use a lab certified by New Mexico 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: Environment Department.