What should you test in your water?
Start With the Right Questions
Not every home, property, or water source needs the same testing. The right tests provide a clearer picture of your water quality and help you test with purpose, not guesswork.
question 1
What Is Your Water Source?
Where your water comes from plays an important role in deciding what to test for.
Private Well Water
Private well owners are responsible for arranging ongoing water testing after a well is approved for use. Because groundwater conditions vary by location, your testing needs may depend on the well, surrounding property, plumbing, and nearby land use.
Regular testing may include bacteria, nitrate, basic indicators, and contaminants connected to local conditions.
Public Water Supply
Public water systems are routinely monitored before water reaches your property. Testing at the tap may still help if you have concerns about household plumbing, lead, corrosion, staining, unusual taste or odor, or changes in appearance.
Other Private Water Sources
Springs, cisterns, and other private sources may have different testing and sampling needs. Knowing exactly where your water comes from helps determine which tests and collection procedures apply.
Helpful guidance: Virginia recommends additional private well testing after flooding or when there is a noticeable or unexplained change in water quality. The EPA also recommends testing after well-system repairs, nearby construction, flooding, or other significant changes around the well.
question 2
What Concerns or Conditions Apply?
You do not need to see, smell, or taste a problem for testing to be worthwhile. However, changes in your water, conditions around your property, and nearby activity can help identify areas that may deserve closer attention.
Have You Noticed Changes in Your Water?
Consider testing when you notice:
- A new or unusual taste or odor
- Cloudy, frothy, or discolored water
- Staining on sinks, tubs, fixtures, or laundry
- Scale buildup or soap that does not lather well
- A gasoline or fuel-like odor
- An unexplained change in a previously trouble-free water source
Changes in taste, odor, color, or appearance can point to different water-quality concerns and should not be ignored.
Are There Household or Property Concerns?
Testing may also be appropriate when:
- You are buying or selling a home
- The property has older plumbing or fixtures
- Baby, child, pregnant person, or older adult at home.
- Household members have recurring stomach illness.
- The well or plumbing system was recently repaired
- The wellhead was flooded
- Nearby construction or land disturbance has occurred
- You do not know when the water was last tested
question 3
What Is Located Near Your Water Source?
Check whether any of the following are located on or near the property.
- A septic system or drain field
- Heating-oil tanks or other fuel storage
- Factories or commercial facilities
- Chemical or petroleum spills
- Farms, livestock, or heavy fertilizer use
- Gas stations
- Mining or drilling operations
- New construction or land disturbance
- Pesticide or herbicide applications
- Landfills, dumps, or junkyards
- Heavily salted roads
Depending on the situation, these conditions may indicate a need to consider bacteria, nitrate or nitrite, pesticides, petroleum compounds, volatile organic compounds, metals, chloride, sodium, or other site-specific testing.
question 4
When Was the Water Last Tested?
Even water that looks and tastes normal may benefit from routine testing. For Virginia private wells, a useful schedule includes:
Every Year
Test for bacteria and nitrate. These can change more quickly than many other water-quality indicators, which is why the Virginia Department of Health recommends testing for them annually.
Every Five Years
Complete a broader basic-indicator or potability panel. VDH suggests establishing an initial baseline and repeating this testing approximately every five years when no problems are found.
At Least Once
Consider radiological testing for uranium, gross alpha, and radon. Naturally occurring radioactive elements may be present in Virginia groundwater, and VDH recommends radiological testing at least once.
Act Quickly
When to Test Right Away
Do not wait for your normal testing schedule after flooding, well repairs, nearby construction, a chemical or fuel spill, sudden water changes, or a newly identified contamination concern in your area.
These events can change the conditions around a private water source and may call for additional or more targeted testing.