Florida does NOT have statewide mandates for regular testing of private wells. The responsibility for ensuring safe drinking water from private wells falls on the well users. Some counties have specific requirements for testing private wells. These regulations may require testing during the construction of new wells. If you purchase a property, your mortgage lender might require well water testing as part of their approval process to ensure the water is safe for consumption.

While private well water testing in Florida is not legally required in Florida, health authorities, such as the Center for Disease Control and Prevention and Florida Department of Health, strongly recommend that well users test their water annually for contaminants such as bacteria, lead, and nitrates. Testing is also advised if there are local water quality issues, after well repairs or replacements, following flooding events, or whenever a change in water quality is noticed. Being proactive about testing helps ensure the ongoing safety and quality of your well water supply.

Private drinking wells are not required to follow any drinking water standards set out by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). However, to ensure that your well water is safe for consumption it is strongly recommended that you follow the EPA’s drinking water standards. The EPA has established maximum contaminant levels for various biological, chemical, and radioactive contaminants. To learn more about drinking water standards and maximum contaminant levels, see the UF/IFAS Extension publication Drinking Water Standards.

The Florida Department of Health recommends testing private well water annually for coliform bacteria, nitrate, lead, and pH. These are common threats to drinking water, but depending on your location and local conditions, your well may be vulnerable to other contaminants. Contact your local health department to find out about specific contaminants that may be prevalent in your area. For more detailed information on what to test for your private well water, see the UF/IFAS Extension publication Household Drinking Water Testing for Public and Private Water Supplies. 

Some county health departments offer testing. For more information, please contact your local county health department. If your county health department does not offer testing services, it is recommended to test your drinking water at a NELAP Certified Laboratory. The NELAP, or National Environmental Laboratory Accreditation Program, works with a variety of private, commercial, municipal, and governmental laboratories with the purpose of promoting reliable and quality environmental testing and data collection. You can find certified laboratories through the Florida Department of Environmental Protection NELAP Certified Laboratory Search. Watch this video to learn how to navigate NELAP certified laboratory search and find a certified lab in your region. 

Health authorities such as the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and Florida Department of Health strongly recommend that well water should be tested annually for contaminants such as bacteria, lead, and nitrates. Additionally, it is important to be aware of signs that your well water could be contaminated. Test your well water if you notice recurrent incidences of gastrointestinal disease, abnormal water taste or smell, corrosion in your plumbing, water stains, or if your household contains lead plumbing. Well water should also be immediately tested following repairs to your well system, flooding events, local environmental issues, or if you notice any changes to your drinking water.

To learn more about when to have your well water tested, see the UF/IFAS Extension publication Household Drinking Water Testing for Public and Private Water Supplies. 

To protect your well during severe weather events, make sure your sanitary well cap is properly installed and ensure it is undamaged and forming an airtight seal. Before a storm event, make sure you have an emergency supply of stored water in case your well is contaminated during the storm. It is recommended to have at least 1 to 1.5 gallons of water per person per day and to store at least three days’ worth. If you have young children, a sick person, or pets you should increase the amount of water you are storing. Following the storm, if your well is surrounded or submerged by floodwaters it should be tested for coliform bacteria and other contaminants.

To learn more about disaster preparedness, visit the UF/IFAS Extension publication Preparing and Storing an Emergency Safe Drinking Water Supply. 

Flooding events are one of the biggest causes of bacterial contamination for private wells. Stormwater can carry harmful coliform bacteria that can cause a variety of health problems such as diarrhea, dysentery, and hepatitis. If you notice that your wellhead has been submerged or surrounded by floodwaters, it is recommended that you test your drinking water to ensure it is safe for consumption. Until you receive your test results, use an alternative water supply, such as bottled water, or boil your water for at least one minute at a rolling boil before using it for drinking, cooking, or brushing teeth. For more information, see our PSA/blog about wells after flooding. You can also learn more about bacterial contamination by reading the UF/IFAS Extension publication, Bacterial Contamination and Shock Chlorination. 

If your well has tested positive for bacterial contamination, shock chlorination can be used to disinfect the well. Until you receive test results confirming that your well water is free from bacterial contamination, use an alternative water supply, such as bottled water, or boil your water for at least one minute at a rolling boil before using it for drinking, cooking, or brushing teeth. 

Shock chlorination is a process that uses unscented household chlorine bleach to kill harmful bacteria that may be found in your well water. In addition to disinfecting your well, you will also have to flush out all household plumbing and replace membranes, cartridges, and filters on any water filtration systems you may use. Keep in mind, shock chlorination can only be used to treat bacterial contaminants and is not a continuous disinfection method. For an in-depth guide on the effectiveness and procedures for shock chlorination, see the UF/IFAS extension publication Bacterial Contamination and Shock Chlorination. 

To protect your well water from contamination, regularly inspect and maintain your well system to ensure it remains in good condition and free from damage. A secure and properly sealed wellhead is crucial, and installing a sanitary well cap is an important step to prevent contaminants from entering the well. Keep chemicals, fertilizers, and other potential contaminants away from your well, and make sure the surrounding area is clear of contamination sources like septic systems or fuel storage tanks. Properly dispose of hazardous materials, such as chemicals and pharmaceuticals, by following local regulations. Routine water quality testing is essential to identify any potential contaminants. If you notice any changes in taste, odor, or appearance, it could signal a problem. For additional information on protecting your well water and ensuring water safety, visit U.S. EPA Protect Your Home's Water. 

To learn more about contaminants that may impact your drinking water, contact your local health department to find out what contaminants are common in your area. In addition, the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP) has the Delineated Areas Program which has identified approximately 427,897 acres of areas with known or suspected groundwater contamination. To learn more about the Delineated Areas Program and see a map of delineated areas, visit the FDEP Delineated Areas website.  

If you notice your water has a red or brownish color, you may have iron in your well water. While iron in your drinking water isn’t dangerous, high concentrations can create an unpleasant metallic taste, leave residues in showers and sinks, build up in pipes, promote the growth of bacterial slime, and cause irritation when bathing. Iron can be removed from water by using water softeners, iron water filters, distillation, reverse osmosis, and chemical oxidation. To learn more about iron in well water and how to remove it, visit PennState Extension's page for Iron and Manganese in Private Water Systems. 

If you notice a bad smell or taste in your water, it is recommended that you test your water for hydrogen sulfide, corrosivity, copper, lead, and pH. A common issue private well users face is the smell of rotten eggs in their water. This smell is due to hydrogen sulfide in your water. This naturally occurring gas does not typically pose a health risk to consumers. However, it can create an unpleasant smell or taste, as well as corrode plumbing metals at high concentrations. Various treatment methods exist for hydrogen sulfide in well water, but the most common method is shock chlorination. To learn more about hydrogen sulfide sources, testing, and treatment, visit the AgriLife Extension publication Hydrogen Sulfide in Drinking Water.

Water hardness is a measurement of the amount of dissolved minerals, commonly calcium and magnesium, that is present in water.  There are no health concerns associated with hard water, dissolved minerals are often essential nutrients. However, high water hardness can create soap scum in baths and sinks, stain bathtubs, leave spots on water surfaces, reduce cleaning abilities of soaps, and clog pipes. If you want to reduce water hardness, water softeners are commonly used. To learn more about this topic, visit our resource page to view the webinar recording on water hardness.   

Groundwater is essential to Floridians, with more than 93% of Florida residents relying on groundwater as their source of drinking water. Most of this groundwater is drawn from the Floridan Aquifer, which serves much of north and central Florida. Although the Floridan Aquifer underlies the entire state, it is too deep to access in some regions, and the water in its deepest parts is brackish, high in minerals, and unsuitable for drinking. Other aquifers provide water to different regions of Florida, including surficial aquifers along the Atlantic Coast, the sand and gravel aquifer in the Panhandle, the intermediate aquifer system in parts of Southwest Florida, and the Biscayne Aquifer in South Florida. To learn more about Florida groundwater and the characteristics of each aquifer system, visit the UF/IFAS publication Florida’s Water Resources. 

Yes, there are many loans and grants available to private well owners seeking financial assistance for their homes and wells. The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) offers a wide range of loans, grants, and assistance for homes and water through its Rural Development Program. The Southeast Rural Community Assistance Project (SERCAP) offers loans and programs to ensure residents have access to clean, safe drinking water and wastewater solutions. Additionally, private well owners can seek assistance from a variety of federal and state homeowner assistance programs.  

Still have questions about your private well? Check out our resource page to select from a wide range of webinars, factsheets, and more. If you have any further questions, you can also reach out to an IFAS Extension team member through our contact page.