Radon and manganese have turned up often in Rockingham County wells, mostly in older study samples.
2 likely overstated, 1 worth checking, 4 rare out of 7 health checks.
From 19 wells tested in Rockingham County since 2002; your own well needs its own test. How to read this
*Radon: All of these tests come from the US Geological Survey between 2002 and 2002 in one small part of the county, so this likely overstates it.
*Manganese and arsenic: All of these tests come from the US Geological Survey between 2002 and 2005 in one small part of the county, so this likely overstates them.
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 3 people 36,003 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 Rockingham County compares with North Carolina and the counties around it.
Each result puts Rockingham County next to the 7 counties that border it, on the chart's 0 to 50% scale.
These 2 have turned up often here, mostly in older study samples.
Radon in water7 of 18 wells over
All of these tests come from the US Geological Survey between 2002 and 2002 in one small part of the county, so this likely overstates it.
Manganese5 of 19 wells over
All of these tests come from the US Geological Survey between 2002 and 2005 in one small part of the county, so this likely overstates it.
This one is worth checking in Rockingham County.
Arsenic2 of 19 wells over
All of these tests come from the US Geological Survey between 2002 and 2005 in one small part of the county, so this likely overstates it.
These 4 are rare in Rockingham County.
Nitrate0 of 19 wells over
Lead0 of 18 wells over
Uranium0 of 18 wells over
Fluoride0 of 19 wells over
Every well needs a bacteria test every year.
No bacteria tests from Rockingham County wells are in the public data. Test every year anyway.
Iron reached staining levels in 7 of 19 tested wells, and it isn't a health risk.
Iron stains7 of 19 wells had it
Most of the 19 wells tested in Rockingham County were last tested before 2010.
An old result shows the water as it was then, so treat these 19 wells as a starting point and test your own.
Most Rockingham 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 5 things to check in Rockingham County.
- Bacteria
- Nitrate
- Radon in water
- Manganese
- 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 Rockingham County.
Rockingham 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 2 town water systems in Rockingham County test for PFAS. 1 found some PFAS, all below the new limits. No well in Rockingham 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 Rockingham County
Is well water in Rockingham County safe to drink?
7 of 18 wells tested in Rockingham County had radon in water over the limit, about 4 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 between 2002 and 2002 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 Rockingham 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, manganese and arsenic, the tests that matter most in Rockingham County.
How often should I test my well in Rockingham County?
Rockingham County has no public bacteria results for wells, so follow the CDC's advice: test for bacteria and nitrate every year, and right away after a flood, a repair, or any change in taste or smell.
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Where the Rockingham County numbers come from
- People on wells: 36,003 in Rockingham County, from EPA estimates built on the 2020 Census (Murray et al.).
- Lab tests: 279 well water samples from 19 wells in the Water Quality Portal, run by the USGS and EPA, 2002 to 2005.
- Neighboring counties: the 7 counties that share a border with Rockingham 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 2 town water systems in Rockingham County under the Fifth Unregulated Contaminant Monitoring Rule, 2023 to 2025.
- Radon: Rockingham 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.