Well water testing in Sacramento County
If your home is on a private well, nobody tests your water but you. California does not regulate private domestic wells, and no agency requires testing. The State Water Board recommends you test at least once a year.
What should you test for?
The State Water Board's guide for well owners (PDF, opens in new tab) gives a simple plan:
| How often | What to test |
|---|---|
| Every year | Total coliform bacteria (E. coli if coliform is found), nitrate, total dissolved solids |
| Every 5 to 10 years | Metals such as arsenic and lead |
| If you live near farms or livestock | Pesticides, as your local health office suggests |
The guide puts basic lab testing at about $100 to $400, depending on how many things are tested. The EPA (opens in new tab) gives similar advice, and suggests testing more often if a baby, an older adult, or someone pregnant or nursing lives in the home.
When to test right away
- The taste, smell or color of your water changes
- After a flood, or work on the well or nearby septic system
- When you buy or sell a home with a well
- If a neighbor's well has a problem
How we help
- Free screening at your tap. We check TDS, hardness, chlorine and pH in about 15 minutes. Well water is often harder than city water, so this tells you a lot about scale.
- A certified lab test. Bacteria, nitrate and metals need a lab certified by the state. We help you collect the sample the right way and get it to the lab.
- A plain-English readout. We go over the lab report with you and tell you if any treatment makes sense.
Our free in-home test is a screening, not a lab test. It does not test for bacteria. If you are on a well, please get the yearly lab test too.
Well water in Sacramento County is often harder than river water. See the numbers on our Sacramento water hardness page.
Know your water before you buy anything
We test hardness, TDS, chlorine and pH at your kitchen sink for free, and you keep a printed report. If you do not need a system, we will tell you.
Book my free water testCommon questions
Does anyone test my private well for me?
No. In California, private domestic wells are not regulated, and no agency requires you to test. The State Water Board recommends testing at least once a year.
What should I test my well for?
The State Water Board's basic yearly list is total coliform bacteria (with E. coli if coliform is found), nitrate, and total dissolved solids. It suggests testing metals like arsenic and lead every five to ten years.
Is your free in-home test the same as a lab test?
No. Our free test screens TDS, hardness, chlorine and pH on the spot. Bacteria, nitrate and metals need a certified lab. We help you set that up and explain the results.
Keep reading
GuideIs Sacramento tap water safe to drink?What the utility reports say, and what they cannot tell you.
DataHow hard is Sacramento water?Hardness by utility, from each utility report.
ServiceWater softeners in Sacramento CountyWho needs one in Sacramento, and who can skip it.
ServiceReverse osmosis drinking water in SacramentoFiltered drinking water at the kitchen sink.