Manganese is worth checking in Bradford County wells.

About 1 in 10 wells tested here from 2007 to 2023 were over the EPA health advisory of 0.3 mg/L, against about 1 in 11 across Pennsylvania. The middle result was 0.01 mg/L, well under the advisory level, and the top 1 in 10 were 0.23 mg/L or more, about three quarters of the advisory level. That's a bigger share than in 10 of the 17 other Pennsylvania counties with 10 or more tested wells, leaving out 2 counties whose results are likely overstated.

Manganese guide

About 1 in 28 wells tested here from 2006 to 2023 were over the EPA limit of 10 µg/L, against about 1 in 24 across Pennsylvania. At least half the results were too low for the lab to measure, and the top 1 in 10 were 4.1 µg/L or more, about half the limit. That's a bigger share than in 14 of the 22 other Pennsylvania counties with 10 or more tested wells.

Arsenic guide

1 of 78 wells tested here from 2014 to 2022 was over 4,000 pCi/L, a level the EPA proposed, against about 1 in 15 across Pennsylvania. The middle result was 640 pCi/L, well under the proposed level, and the top 1 in 10 were 2,540 pCi/L or more, about two thirds of the proposed level. That's a smaller share than in 11 of the 17 other Pennsylvania counties with 10 or more tested wells.

Radon guide

None of the 88 wells tested here from 2007 to 2023 were over the EPA limit of 10 mg/L, against about 1 in 12 across Pennsylvania. The middle result was 0.04 mg/L, well under the limit, and the top 1 in 10 were 4.6 mg/L or more, about half the limit. Bradford County had none, while 12 of the 26 other Pennsylvania counties with 10 or more tested wells had at least one, leaving out 1 county whose results are likely overstated.

Nitrate guide

None of the 88 wells tested here from 2007 to 2023 were over the EPA limit of 4 mg/L, against under 1 in 100 across Pennsylvania. The middle result was 0.11 mg/L, well under the limit. Bradford County had none, while 1 of the 16 other Pennsylvania counties with 10 or more tested wells had at least one.

None of the 81 wells tested here from 2016 to 2023 were over the EPA action level of 15 µg/L, against under 1 in 100 across Pennsylvania. At least half the results were too low for the lab to measure, and the top 1 in 10 were 0.38 µg/L or more, well under the action level. Bradford County had none, while 2 of the 14 other Pennsylvania counties with 10 or more tested wells had at least one.

These samples were taken from the well itself, before the water reaches your pipes. Lead mostly comes from the plumbing: old solder, brass fittings and some older pumps. So test a first-draw sample from your kitchen tap at least once, whatever this shows. That's water that sat in the pipes overnight.

Lead guide

None of the 81 wells tested here from 2014 to 2022 were over the EPA limit of 30 µg/L, against none across Pennsylvania. The middle result was 0.34 µg/L, well under the limit, and the top 1 in 10 were 4.9 µg/L or more, well under the limit. Bradford County had none, and neither did any of the 13 other Pennsylvania counties with 10 or more tested wells.

Uranium guide

About half of the wells tested here from 2007 to 2022 had coliform bacteria, against about half across Pennsylvania.

Bacteria guide

About 1 in 16 wells tested here from 2007 to 2022 had E. coli, against about 1 in 8 across Pennsylvania.

E. coli means human or animal waste is getting in, so if a test of your Bradford County well finds it, boil drinking water until the well is fixed.

Bacteria guide

About 1 in 9 wells tested here from 2007 to 2023 had enough iron to stain (0.3 mg/L), against about 2 in 10 across Pennsylvania.

Iron guide