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Getting your well water tested in Tennessee

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

Compare lab tests Find my county

About 860,000 people in Tennessee get their water from a private well, about 1 in 8 residents.

Three ways to get tested, cheapest first.

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A lab Tennessee 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 Tennessee
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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 Tennessee

Look up a well's drilling report in Tennessee

What turns up in Tennessee 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
Manganese10%23 of 240Arsenic4%7 of 180Lead2%4 of 210Nitrate2%3 of 193Fluorideunder 1%1 of 238Uranium0%0 of 170Radon0%0 of 52
GermsTest every year, whatever the chart says
Coliform bacteria23%14 of 60
StainsNot a health risk
Iron stains33%79 of 240

Rare: under 5%Worth checking: 5 to 15%Widespread: 15%+

Lab results: Water Quality Portal (USGS and EPA)

Where it shows up most

Find your county.

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

CoffeeShelby
Every county in Tennessee: people on wells and typical depth
CountyPeople on private wellsShare of residentsTypical well depth
Wilson County49,93934%147 ft
Anderson County32,69842%205 ft
Sevier County27,93328%270 ft
Coffee County25,05843%79 ft
Knox County21,8465%230 ft
Fayette County21,60651%150 ft
Campbell County20,28352%225 ft
Franklin County20,27047%96 ft
Rutherford County19,7196%165 ft
Williamson County18,5457%180 ft
Blount County17,25013%230 ft
Monroe County16,31735%210 ft
McMinn County15,93530%225 ft
Montgomery County15,8637%170 ft
Jefferson County14,89627%280 ft
Bradley County14,55113%200 ft
Hawkins County14,51926%210 ft
Hardeman County14,50757%140 ft
Madison County14,33915%135 ft
Cumberland County13,20122%150 ft
Henry County13,01340%104 ft
Loudon County12,82123%260 ft
Washington County12,5089%288 ft
Cocke County12,30834%230 ft
Sullivan County11,5117%245 ft
Gibson County11,36023%133 ft
Fentress County11,19161%116 ft
Weakley County11,01933%125 ft
Lawrence County10,85925%114 ft
Roane County10,78620%220 ft
Sumner County10,1275%90 ft
Humphreys County10,11753%145 ft
Cheatham County9,83424%160 ft
Hamilton County9,8283%222 ft
Davidson County9,6701%168 ft
Claiborne County9,50430%272 ft
Carroll County9,03832%120 ft
Grainger County9,03238%265 ft
Benton County8,79455%70 ft
Tipton County8,36614%100 ft
Dickson County7,87414%167 ft
Chester County7,75245%120 ft
Marshall County7,73523%200 ft
Carter County7,49913%225 ft
Maury County7,2157%205 ft
Marion County7,04724%170 ft
Wayne County6,78342%150 ft
Lincoln County6,69519%92 ft
Scott County6,69431%82 ft
Henderson County6,62024%130 ft
Greene County6,5439%204 ft
Giles County6,49521%150 ft
Robertson County6,4049%105 ft
Morgan County6,39730%125 ft
Meigs County6,29349%204 ft
Union County6,10331%245 ft
Overton County5,98727%109 ft
Stewart County5,98544%180 ft
Polk County5,71233%205 ft
Johnson County5,37330%265 ft
Hickman County5,29221%170 ft
Rhea County4,97815%185 ft
Obion County4,81516%104 ft
Sequatchie County4,78630%208 ft
Bledsoe County4,62131%190 ft
Haywood County4,53825%130 ft
Cannon County4,45231%95 ft
Lewis County4,04032%147 ft
McNairy County4,03816%125 ft
DeKalb County4,01720%105 ft
Hamblen County3,9976%270 ft
Macon County3,96816%100 ft
Bedford County3,7968%150 ft
Perry County3,79145%125 ft
Warren County3,3968%93 ft
Hancock County3,37851%230 ft
Grundy County3,31525%110 ft
Dyer County3,2489%90 ft
Hardin County3,00511%139 ft
Crockett County3,00122%118 ft
Shelby County2,808under 1%137 ft
Putnam County2,5153%125 ft
Smith County2,43812%125 ft
White County2,3138%110 ft
Jackson County2,03418%119 ft
Unicoi County1,85810%205 ft
Decatur County1,83816%82 ft
Clay County1,69622%92 ft
Lauderdale County1,6867%103 ft
Trousdale County1,64414%110 ft
Van Buren County1,48624%200 ft
Houston County1,25215%158 ft
Moore County81313%110 ft
Pickett County53511%90 ft
Lake County2534%60 ft

Questions people ask about well water in Tennessee

Does Tennessee require private wells to be tested?

Tennessee 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 Tennessee?

Otherwise, use a lab certified by Tennessee 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 Environment and Conservation (TDEC), Division of Water Resources.