Radon has turned up often in Buncombe County wells, mostly in older study samples.
1 likely overstated, 6 rare out of 7 health checks.
From 17 wells tested in Buncombe County since 2003; your own well needs its own test. How to read this
*Radon: All of these tests come from the US Geological Survey, mostly before 2013 in one small part of the county, so this likely overstates it.
Rare: under 5%Worth checking: 5 to 15%Widespread: 15%+
Lab results: Water Quality Portal (USGS and EPA)
Who drinks from a well here
1 in 6 people 43,799 people
Nobody else tests these wells. Only you do.
People on wells: EPA researchers' 2020 estimate
Radon risk (a gas from rock)
Likely here. Test your home's air first.
Radon zones: EPA map
Here's how Buncombe County compares with North Carolina and the counties around it.
Each result puts Buncombe County next to the 7 counties that border it, on the chart's 0 to 50% scale.
This one has turned up often here, mostly in older study samples.
Radon in water3 of 14 wells over
All of these tests come from the US Geological Survey, mostly before 2013 in one small part of the county, so this likely overstates it.
These 6 are rare in Buncombe County.
Nitrate0 of 17 wells over
Manganese0 of 17 wells over
Lead0 of 17 wells over
Arsenic0 of 17 wells over
Uranium0 of 17 wells over
Fluoride0 of 17 wells over
None of the 1 Buncombe County wells tested for bacteria had it, but every well needs a yearly test.
Coliform bacteria0 of 1 wells had it
E. coli0 of 1 wells had it
E. coli means human or animal waste is getting in, so if a test of your Buncombe County well finds it, boil drinking water until the well is fixed.
Iron reached staining levels in 2 of 17 tested wells, and it isn't a health risk.
Iron stains2 of 17 wells had it
Most of the 17 wells tested in Buncombe County were last tested before 2010.
An old result shows the water as it was then, so treat these 17 wells as a starting point and test your own.
Most Buncombe County wells in these records were tested for research or because someone suspected a problem, which can push the shares above what a typical home well would show (how we read the numbers).
One mail-in lab test covers the 4 things to check in Buncombe County.
- Bacteria
- Nitrate
- Radon in water
- Arsenic
What North Carolina offers well owners
- Free testingWe didn't find a free program for all of North Carolina. North Carolina's private well page
- Certified labsNorth Carolina's list of certified labs
- Well recordsNorth Carolina's well record search
- New wellsAll newly constructed private wells must be tested for bacterial and chemical contaminants within 30 days of completion by the State Laboratory of Public Health or a state-certified lab.
Here's what we know about radon and PFAS in Buncombe County.
Buncombe County is in the EPA's highest radon zone. Radon from well water adds to the radon in your indoor air, so test your air first, and your water too if the air is high. Radon guide
Between 2023 and 2025 the EPA had 3 town water systems in Buncombe County test for PFAS. None found any. No well in Buncombe County has public PFAS results, so the town systems are the best clue to what's in the groundwater nearby. PFAS guide
Radon zones: EPA Map of Radon Zones. PFAS: EPA tests of town water systems, 2023 to 2025
Questions people ask about well water in Buncombe County
Is well water in Buncombe County safe to drink?
3 of 14 wells tested in Buncombe County had radon in water over the limit, about 2 in 10. Across North Carolina it's about 1 in 7. We don't rank this against other North Carolina counties, because most of these tests are old study samples. All of these tests come from the US Geological Survey, mostly before 2013 in one small part of the county, so this likely overstates it. So test your own well for radon in water before you count on it.
Where can I get my well tested in Buncombe County?
Use a lab North Carolina has certified for drinking water. North Carolina's list is linked above, in the box about testing. Ask for bacteria, nitrate, radon in water and arsenic, the tests that matter most in Buncombe County.
How often should I test my well in Buncombe County?
None of the 1 wells tested for bacteria in Buncombe County had it, but the CDC still says to test for bacteria and nitrate every year, and right away after a flood, a repair, or any change in taste or smell.
If you buy something through our links, we may earn a commission. We'd recommend the same thing either way, and we'll tell you when a free option exists. How we make money
Where the Buncombe County numbers come from
- People on wells: 43,799 in Buncombe County, from EPA estimates built on the 2020 Census (Murray et al.).
- Lab tests: 241 well water samples from 17 wells in the Water Quality Portal, run by the USGS and EPA, 2003 to 2014.
- Neighboring counties: the 7 counties that share a border with Buncombe County, from the Census Bureau's county adjacency file.
- Results marked likely overstated: our own check of who tested the wells, when and where.
- PFAS: EPA tests of 3 town water systems in Buncombe County under the Fifth Unregulated Contaminant Monitoring Rule, 2023 to 2025.
- Radon: Buncombe County is zone 1 on the EPA Map of Radon Zones.
- State programs and links: Department of Health and Human Services, checked November 1, 2026.