Why well water testing matters
If you are on public water, someone else tests it for you. On a private well, that job is yours. Water can look, smell and taste fine and still carry bacteria or other problems you cannot notice. A test is the only way to know.
We are well and water system specialists, so we do more than hand you a sheet of numbers. We explain what each result means for your family and whether anything needs to be done. Most of the time, the news is good and you can stop wondering.
What we test for
- Bacteria: total coliform and E. coli, the main signs that surface water or waste may be reaching the well
- Lead: which can come from older pipes, solder or fixtures in the home
- Nitrates: which can come from fertilizer, septic systems or farm runoff
- pH: acidic water can corrode pipes and leave blue-green stains
These four cover the most common concerns for private wells in our area. Low pH shows up often in western Fauquier and Loudoun, where harder crystalline rock is common. In parts of Prince William, hardness and iron are the more frequent complaints, and a test helps sort out which is which.
When to test your well
A yearly bacteria test is the standard recommendation for private wells. Beyond that, test whenever something changes.
- Once a year, as a routine check
- After flooding or heavy rain that pooled near the wellhead
- After any well work, such as a new pump or casing repair
- When buying or selling a home with a well
- When a baby is coming, or there is an infant in the house
- When the taste, smell or color of the water changes
Heavy rain and flooding can let surface water into a well with a cracked casing or a poor cap. If the ground around your well stayed wet or you saw water pooling near the well, test. Until you have results, bottled water for drinking and cooking is the safe choice.
How a sample is taken
How the sample is collected matters. A careless sample can pick up bacteria from a dirty faucet and give a false result. We take samples the right way and keep them handled properly, so the results reflect your well and not the tap.
If your results come back bad
Bacteria
We look at how bacteria got in, often the cap or casing. We can fix the entry point and, where it makes sense, install a UV light from GDS or Viqua through our UV disinfection service. After any fix, we retest to make sure the problem is gone.
pH, hardness and more
Low pH, iron and hardness point to water treatment, like an acid neutralizer or softener. High nitrates or lead need a closer look at the source, and we will talk through your options honestly.
Testing across our service area
We test wells across Prince William County, Fauquier County and the counties around them, including Bealeton, Manassas Park and Woodbridge. Once your results are back, our guide to reading your well water test results explains each line. Call 703-791-3981 to set up a test.
