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Getting your well water tested in Virginia

Virginia has free or low-cost well testing. Across the state, the ones worth testing for are manganese and radon, plus bacteria and nitrate every year.

Compare lab tests Find my county

About 1,768,000 people in Virginia get their water from a private well, about 2 in 10 residents.

Three ways to get tested, cheapest first.

2

A lab Virginia 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 Virginia
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 Virginia
Buying a house or drilling a new well in Virginia?

Virginia's Private Well Regulations (12VAC5-630) require newly constructed wells to be tested for coliform bacteria as a condition for use; testing at home purchase is not required by VDH.

What turns up in Virginia 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%44 of 452Radon6%5 of 81Nitrate4%16 of 452Fluoride3%19 of 591Arsenic0%0 of 187Uranium0%0 of 184Lead0%0 of 156
GermsTest every year, whatever the chart says
Coliform bacteria40%25 of 63
StainsNot a health risk
Iron stains34%154 of 452

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 Caroline County (about 1 in 7 wells), Northampton County (about 1 in 15 wells).

Find your county.

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

AccomackFairfaxPrince WilliamRockinghamVirginia Beach city
Every county in Virginia: people on wells and typical depth
CountyPeople on private wellsShare of residentsTypical well depth
Pittsylvania County50,78884%219 ft
Bedford County49,09662%300 ft
Hanover County45,01441%300 ft
Prince William County43,8709%205 ft
Rockingham County43,52652%220 ft
Franklin County41,35576%305 ft
Loudoun County40,10810%320 ft
Spotsylvania County38,83528%55 ft
Fauquier County38,73853%245 ft
Albemarle County37,10333%230 ft
Stafford County36,28423%62 ft
Augusta County35,89746%220 ft
Fairfax County33,7313%205 ft
Frederick County32,54536%240 ft
Louisa County31,86885%145 ft
Campbell County30,65355%245 ft
Gloucester County29,89777%95 ft
Powhatan County27,70591%322 ft
Chesterfield County26,9807%52 ft
Carroll County26,22590%305 ft
Culpeper County26,02750%225 ft
Henry County24,67848%254 ft
Accomack County24,50373%180 ft
Halifax County24,28871%305 ft
Virginia Beach city23,3875%65 ft
Roanoke County22,11523%261 ft
Warren County21,79554%190 ft
Shenandoah County21,65649%259 ft
Montgomery County20,63421%210 ft
Chesapeake city20,0788%100 ft
Henrico County19,8966%268 ft
Mecklenburg County19,58365%255 ft
Goochland County19,25978%300 ft
Caroline County18,63160%66 ft
Orange County18,18650%200 ft
Dinwiddie County17,71163%190 ft
Washington County17,59833%130 ft
Prince George County17,51141%214 ft
Russell County17,10566%320 ft
Tazewell County16,95442%265 ft
Buchanan County16,75382%114 ft
Botetourt County16,72650%230 ft
Rockbridge County16,44773%250 ft
Fluvanna County16,14259%195 ft
Wythe County16,06957%290 ft
Patrick County15,81090%245 ft
Isle of Wight County15,67141%465 ft
Suffolk city15,46316%479 ft
New Kent County15,41067%370 ft
Amherst County15,22549%285 ft
Prince Edward County14,64467%–
Scott County14,44367%330 ft
Floyd County14,29992%275 ft
Buckingham County14,02183%102 ft
King William County13,70177%420 ft
Appomattox County13,63385%206 ft
Grayson County13,55688%205 ft
King George County13,51951%97 ft
Madison County13,16895%165 ft
Nelson County13,15689%245 ft
Amelia County13,06098%132 ft
Lee County12,44056%200 ft
Page County12,19151%246 ft
Brunswick County11,78774%302 ft
Smyth County11,71039%250 ft
Wise County11,25431%200 ft
Southampton County10,78260%305 ft
James City County10,40413%294 ft
Pulaski County10,23330%275 ft
Greene County9,77348%280 ft
Charlotte County9,76085%218 ft
Westmoreland County9,71453%402 ft
Dickenson County9,67468%198 ft
Northumberland County9,33979%659 ft
Lunenburg County9,20877%–
Cumberland County9,03493%–
Clarke County8,96961%240 ft
Middlesex County8,77583%130 ft
Northampton County8,71971%160 ft
Nottoway County8,70356%–
Mathews County8,38098%125 ft
Essex County7,72773%428 ft
Giles County7,24143%353 ft
Alleghany County7,18447%132 ft
Rappahannock County7,04696%178 ft
Lancaster County6,62561%658 ft
Charles City County6,38994%280 ft
King and Queen County6,38097%272 ft
Hampton city6,2605%44 ft
Richmond County5,97267%446 ft
Greensville County5,54449%125 ft
Surry County5,35982%378 ft
Sussex County5,30249%362 ft
Bland County4,88078%–
York County4,6487%97 ft
Craig County4,02382%136 ft
Bath County3,23577%305 ft
Danville city2,5166%–
Highland County1,99189%196 ft
Fairfax city1,6547%–
Lynchburg city9691%–
Galax city5368%–
Richmond city478under 1%–
Staunton city4122%–
Emporia city3426%–
Radford city2742%–
Newport News city225under 1%457 ft
Roanoke city161under 1%170 ft
Harrisonburg city159under 1%307 ft
Norton city1544%–
Petersburg city132under 1%–
Buena Vista city1292%–
Franklin city1151%528 ft
Winchester city91under 1%–
Fredericksburg city62under 1%–
Portsmouth city61under 1%645 ft
Poquoson city60under 1%–
Bristol city52under 1%–
Waynesboro city50under 1%–
Manassas city37under 1%400 ft
Covington city31under 1%–
Salem city29under 1%285 ft
Norfolk city25under 1%113 ft
Hopewell city15under 1%–
Martinsville city11under 1%–
Alexandria city00%348 ft
Arlington County00%–
Charlottesville city00%–
Colonial Heights city00%–
Falls Church city00%–
Lexington city00%–
Manassas Park city00%–
Williamsburg city00%456 ft

Questions people ask about well water in Virginia

Does Virginia require private wells to be tested?

Virginia's Private Well Regulations (12VAC5-630) require newly constructed wells to be tested for coliform bacteria as a condition for use; testing at home purchase is not required by VDH.

Where can I get my well water tested in Virginia?

Virginia Cooperative Extension's Virginia Household Water Quality Program runs drinking water clinics in about 70 counties each year at $70 per kit, with financial help available through SERCAP. Otherwise, use a lab certified by Virginia 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 (VDH), Office of Environmental Health Services.