How to Get Your Well Water Tested

Does the water in your household come from a well? If so, this means that your water is untreated by the city or local municipality. While city or public water does undergo routine testing for safety and some other parameters, the sampling locations are random and may not be near your house.

On the other hand, well water is not required to be tested after the initial test when it is drilled. This is why it is imperative that homeowners whose water source is a well, check its safety regularly. The Center for Disease Control, USEPA and The Virginia Department of Health all recommend that well owners have their water tested at least once a year for bacteria, as well as any time after the water supply system has been opened for work (replacing pumps, faucets and fixtures, etc).

Why it is Important to Test Your Well Water

Whether you have owned your home for years or have just moved in, testing your well water is a precaution to ensure your drinking water supply has not been contaminated. Well water sources are not regulated and monitored by the city or municipality, so it is in a homeowner’s best interest to ensure that their well water has not been compromised and is safe to drink.

Bacteria, heavy metals, and other contaminants can put you and your family in harm’s way. Waterborne illnesses can be life-threatening—especially to vulnerable members of the family such as young children, aging adults, and family members who may be immunosuppressed. Having your groundwater tested regularly will prevent any contaminants from going unnoticed.

Finding Well Water Testing Near You

Are you looking to find a reputable water testing laboratory near you? The internet is a great tool and will help you not only see what your local options are but help you narrow your list down to the best local labs. Remember, to get the most relevant search results, you will want to include both your location and “certified laboratory” in keywords.

Browse some of the customer reviews and see what they say about the labs you are considering. These reviews will give you a good idea of what you can expect from a business. An overwhelming number of negative customer reviews is a big red flag that should cause some pause.

Choose a Lab that Adheres to State Regulations

When looking for a water testing lab, only use a certified lab. Home and mail order tests can rarely be analyzed with the required time frames and under quality-controlled conditions. So choose a lab that follows state-approved methods and adheres to regular quality control checks as required by law. If you are local to Virginia, the lab you chose must be VELAP approved for the tests that it conducts. Always ask what certification and accreditations the lab holds. Some seem great and sound knowledgeable but hold no legal certification and are therefore unregulated.

Looking for Well Water Testing in Fairfax, Virginia?

If you are in the greater Fairfax, Virginia area and searching for a reputable well water testing company, Joiner Micro Labs (JML) has provided water testing services to northern Virginia since 1991. Our expert lab technicians have built long-standing relationships with the local community.