Well Water Test Results Checker: Read Your Lab Report in Seconds
A well water lab report is a page of numbers with no explanation. This checker reads it for you. Type in each result and it is compared with the EPA limit, flagged as a health risk or a nuisance, and matched with the fix.
On a private well you are the water company. Federal drinking water rules cover public systems, not private wells, so nobody else will tell you when a number is too high.
Well Water Test Results Checker
Type in the numbers from your lab report. Each result is checked against EPA limits as you go.
| Test | Your result | Limit | Status and next step |
|---|---|---|---|
| Enter a result above to see it checked. | |||
Limits are EPA standards for public water systems, used as targets for private wells: National Primary Drinking Water Regulations, the Lead and Copper Rule and secondary standards in 40 CFR 143.3. Hardness uses the USGS scale. This checker is a reading aid, not a substitute for your lab or local health department.
How to Use the Checker
- Find the results table on your lab report. Most labs list the test, your result, the unit and sometimes a limit.
- Check the unit. Lead, arsenic and uranium are often reported in µg/L (ppb). If your report shows mg/L, tick the box under that field.
- Leave any test you did not order blank. Blank is not the same as safe.
- Read the status column. Red is a health limit, amber is a nuisance guideline.
Health Limits and Nuisance Limits
EPA sets two kinds of numbers. A Maximum Contaminant Level (MCL) is an enforceable health limit for public water. Over an MCL on your well means treat the water or stop drinking it.
A secondary standard covers taste, smell, color and staining. Going over one is annoying and can be costly to your plumbing, but it is not usually a health risk. Iron, manganese, pH, sulfate, chloride and total dissolved solids sit in this group.
What to Do When a Result Is Red
For E. coli or nitrate above 10 mg/L, stop drinking the water untreated and do not use it for baby formula. Use bottled water and call your local health department. Do not boil water for nitrate, because boiling concentrates it.
For bacteria, shock chlorinate the well and retest. For arsenic, lead, uranium or fluoride, pick a treatment system that is certified for that contaminant, then retest the treated water.
Treat in the Right Order
Raise low pH first, then remove iron and sulfur, then soften, then polish drinking water with reverse osmosis. Most iron filters need a pH close to 7 to work, so fixing pH first saves you from buying a filter twice.
Want the full reference? The Well Water Test Decoder covers every line on a lab report, a symptom finder and treatment pickers. Join the Boreholeflow list on this page and it lands in your inbox.
Frequently Asked Questions
How often should I test my well water?
Test once a year for total coliform bacteria, nitrate and pH at a minimum. Retest after flooding, well repairs, a change in taste or smell, or anyone in the house getting a stomach illness.
What is the difference between mg/L and µg/L?
mg/L means milligrams per liter, the same as parts per million. µg/L means micrograms per liter, the same as parts per billion. One mg/L equals 1,000 µg/L, so 0.010 mg/L of arsenic is 10 µg/L.
Is hard water a health risk?
No. EPA sets no limit for hardness. Hard water leaves scale on fixtures and in water heaters, which a water softener fixes.
Does a result under the limit mean my water is safe?
It means that one contaminant is under the limit. Anything you did not test for is unknown. Bacteria, nitrate, arsenic, lead and uranium have no taste, color or smell.