Tested Water
Menu

Getting your well water tested in Ohio

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

Compare lab tests Find my county

About 2,334,000 people in Ohio get their water from a private well, about 2 in 10 residents.

Three ways to get tested, cheapest first.

2

A lab Ohio 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 Ohio
3

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 Ohio

Look up a well's drilling report in Ohio

What turns up in Ohio 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
Manganese16%85 of 524Arsenic16%74 of 475Lead2%10 of 467Nitrate2%7 of 335Uranium0%0 of 216Radon0%0 of 81Fluoride0%0 of 515
GermsTest every year, whatever the chart says
Coliform bacteria48%77 of 162
StainsNot a health risk
Iron stains65%343 of 524

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 Butler County (about 1 in 17 wells).
  • Arsenic shows up most in Preble County (about 4 in 10 wells), Shelby County (about 3 in 10 wells), Montgomery County (about 1 in 9 wells).

Find your county.

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

ClarkFranklinGeaugaLickingPortageStark
Every county in Ohio: people on wells and typical depth
CountyPeople on private wellsShare of residentsTypical well depth
Stark County122,78933%112 ft
Summit County114,98921%80 ft
Geauga County76,98781%102 ft
Portage County71,65444%91 ft
Licking County65,71037%135 ft
Trumbull County62,33531%92 ft
Wayne County58,82850%106 ft
Fairfield County53,97834%100 ft
Franklin County52,1014%85 ft
Columbiana County51,15950%128 ft
Richland County46,77837%122 ft
Clark County44,20733%82 ft
Medina County43,56624%90 ft
Mahoning County40,95418%113 ft
Ashtabula County34,93736%59 ft
Montgomery County34,7096%72 ft
Greene County34,70221%90 ft
Knox County34,04154%140 ft
Miami County34,02731%83 ft
Allen County32,54832%70 ft
Holmes County31,57371%146 ft
Tuscarawas County31,46834%124 ft
Muskingum County29,26134%100 ft
Wood County29,24222%79 ft
Butler County28,7427%60 ft
Lucas County28,5927%78 ft
Warren County28,36312%60 ft
Darke County27,66953%101 ft
Ross County26,80935%75 ft
Union County25,39740%98 ft
Morrow County24,14469%80 ft
Sandusky County23,95941%90 ft
Seneca County23,56543%90 ft
Pickaway County23,28140%90 ft
Ashland County22,94844%101 ft
Delaware County22,69211%70 ft
Logan County21,29746%113 ft
Shelby County20,98744%108 ft
Clermont County20,82510%70 ft
Lake County20,4089%75 ft
Washington County20,26634%80 ft
Preble County19,80548%76 ft
Champaign County19,79251%92 ft
Marion County19,66130%76 ft
Lorain County19,3006%55 ft
Fulton County18,82144%102 ft
Scioto County18,69825%54 ft
Huron County18,64132%62 ft
Highland County18,62543%100 ft
Mercer County18,38743%142 ft
Coshocton County18,35450%95 ft
Carroll County18,14868%135 ft
Ottawa County18,02145%70 ft
Putnam County17,94652%73 ft
Perry County17,55150%115 ft
Hancock County17,52523%64 ft
Brown County17,02339%85 ft
Hocking County16,82060%200 ft
Lawrence County16,80429%79 ft
Jefferson County16,58825%115 ft
Cuyahoga County15,8741%61 ft
Madison County15,86236%102 ft
Auglaize County15,73634%104 ft
Williams County15,47442%100 ft
Adams County15,25856%70 ft
Belmont County15,20223%88 ft
Athens County14,72224%75 ft
Clinton County14,53235%90 ft
Guernsey County14,29237%105 ft
Defiance County13,94936%87 ft
Erie County13,41718%62 ft
Pike County13,38349%66 ft
Crawford County13,20031%60 ft
Hardin County13,11443%87 ft
Gallia County12,61243%71 ft
Jackson County12,57739%78 ft
Henry County12,32645%75 ft
Van Wert County11,91341%95 ft
Meigs County11,18750%90 ft
Paulding County10,65557%60 ft
Fayette County10,58737%86 ft
Hamilton County10,3961%42 ft
Wyandot County9,39743%85 ft
Morgan County8,90365%75 ft
Vinton County8,65568%240 ft
Monroe County7,78658%97 ft
Harrison County7,26350%117 ft
Noble County6,53246%80 ft

Questions people ask about well water in Ohio

Does Ohio require private wells to be tested?

Ohio 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 Ohio?

Otherwise, use a lab certified by Ohio 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 Health.