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Well water testing in Ohio

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For well water testing in Ohio, you can use a lab certified by Ohio EPA or ask your local health district, which may have a testing program for homeowners. The labs below are certified by Ohio EPA and accept samples from homeowners.

On this page

  1. Certified labs that accept homeowner samples in Ohio
  2. Free and low-cost testing programs in Ohio
  3. How to get your well water tested in Ohio
  4. How certification works in Ohio
  5. Private wells in Ohio
  6. Questions about water testing in Ohio
  7. Neighboring states
  8. Private well water data for Ohio

Certified labs that accept homeowner samples in Ohio

Cost of a bacteria test in Ohio

The range of current published prices for a bacteria test, or a panel that includes one, among the labs above.

$17 to $90 shipping not stated

Based on 4 published prices from 4 labs, verified

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Free and low-cost testing programs in Ohio

  • Carroll County General Health District water sampling — Total Coliform & E. coli

    $65

    Run by
    Carroll County General Health District
    County
    Carroll County
    Tests for
    Total coliform bacteria, E. coli
    Who can use it
    Owners of private water systems.

    Submit the district's water sample application. A total coliform and E. coli sample costs $65. Lead ($12), nitrate ($15) and nitrite ($15) samples are available on request; a $45 draw fee applies when no bacteria test is ordered ($10 with a bacteria test).

    Verified · Source (opens in a new tab)

  • Hancock Public Health private water sampling

    $79

    Run by
    Hancock Public Health
    County
    Hancock County
    Who can use it
    Owners of private water systems.

    Request a water sample and pay the $79.00 fee (subject to change). The Health Department then schedules an appointment, collects the sample on site and forwards it to the lab for testing.

    Verified · Source (opens in a new tab)

How to get your well water tested in Ohio

Ohio EPA does not regulate or test drinking water from private wells[5], so a well test goes through your local health district or a certified lab.

  1. Choose what to test. The Ohio Department of Health recommends that private water system owners test a few parameters, such as total coliform bacteria, E. coli, nitrates and arsenic[6], on a regular basis. A record of results helps show any change in the system or loss of water quality.
  2. Call your local health district. Ohio EPA suggests contacting your local health department before you call a lab: it regulates private water wells[5] and may have a program for homeowners who want their well water tested. Some health districts collect well samples for a fee; the ones we have verified are in the programs list above, with their prices.
  3. Or order from a lab certified by Ohio EPA. Every lab in the table above is on Ohio EPA's certified list and accepts samples from homeowners. Ohio EPA lists microbiological and chemistry certifications separately, so check that the lab is certified for each test you order.
  4. Collect the sample the lab's way. Use the lab's containers and follow its instructions. EPA notes that samples for coliform bacteria testing must be collected using sterile containers and under sterile conditions[8].

To compare what a test costs, see well water testing cost. Public programs that test for free are on free water testing, and every lab we list, in every state we cover, is on certified water testing labs.

How certification works in Ohio

The Ohio Environmental Protection Agency (Ohio EPA) runs the state's drinking water laboratory certification program. It ensures laboratories are able to perform accurate testing[1] using specific approved methods.

Ohio EPA publishes the certified labs in one combined lab list[2]. It shows each lab's microbiological and chemistry certifications in separate columns. The table on this page shows each lab's Ohio certifications as that list gives them. "Bacteria" means the lab is certified for both total coliform and E. coli.

EPA links to every state's certification program and certified-lab list. It also says it is unable to test residential or commercial drinking water upon request[3], so a home test goes to a certified lab or a local health district.

Private wells in Ohio

The US Geological Survey estimates that in 2015, 1.86 million Ohio residents (16% of the population)[4] had self-supplied household water, mostly from private wells.

When a new private water system is completed, the board of health collects water samples, and Ohio's private water system rule (Ohio Administrative Code 3701-28-04) requires those samples to be tested at a laboratory approved for the testing of microbiological contaminants[7] and primary drinking water standards. That requirement covers those permit samples, not every test a homeowner orders.

Questions about water testing in Ohio

Does Ohio EPA test private well water?

No. Ohio EPA says it does not regulate or test drinking water from private wells[5]. It certifies the labs that test drinking water, and those labs are in the table on this page.

Can my local health district test my well water?

Ohio EPA suggests contacting your local health department first: it regulates private water wells[5] and may have a program for homeowners. Hancock Public Health and the Carroll County General Health District, for example, collect well samples for a fee; both are in the programs list on this page with their prices.

What should I test my Ohio well for?

The Ohio Department of Health recommends testing a few parameters, such as total coliform bacteria, E. coli, nitrates and arsenic[6], on a regular basis, so you have a record of your water quality and can spot changes.

Does Ohio require a certified lab for well water samples?

For the samples a board of health collects when a new private water system is completed, yes: Ohio's rule says those samples must be tested at a laboratory approved for the testing of microbiological contaminants[7] and primary drinking water standards, or a lab approved by the Department of Health. That rule covers those permit samples, not every test a homeowner orders.

How do I find a lab certified by Ohio EPA?

Ohio EPA publishes its certified drinking water labs in one combined lab list[2], with separate microbiological and chemistry columns. The Registry column of the table on this page links to that list for each lab.

Neighboring states

  • Indiana
  • Kentucky
  • Michigan
  • Pennsylvania
  • West Virginia

Private well water data for Ohio

Ohio well water data on TapWaterData (opens in a new tab)

Source: TapWaterData (EPA SDWIS / USGS models)

Sources (8)
  1. Laboratory Certification (opens in a new tab)Ohio Environmental Protection Agency · Retrieved
  2. Combined Lab List (drinking water laboratories certified by Ohio EPA) (opens in a new tab)Ohio Environmental Protection Agency · Retrieved
  3. Contact Information for Certification Programs and Certified Laboratories for Drinking Water (opens in a new tab)US Environmental Protection Agency · Retrieved
  4. Estimated use of water in the United States in 2015 (Circular 1441), Table 6 (opens in a new tab)US Geological Survey · Retrieved
  5. Testing water from private wells (opens in a new tab)Ohio Environmental Protection Agency · Retrieved
  6. Water Quality (Private Water Systems Program) (opens in a new tab)Ohio Department of Health · Retrieved
  7. Rule 3701-28-04: Inspection; water sample collection and analysis and water quality standards (opens in a new tab)Ohio Legislative Service Commission (Ohio Administrative Code) · Retrieved
  8. Home Water Testing (EPA 816-F-05-013) (opens in a new tab)US Environmental Protection Agency · Retrieved

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