Well Water Nerd

Fluoride in Idaho well water

In Idaho, 1% of 8,495 tested private well samples exceeded the EPA limit for fluoride (4 mg/L).

Natural fluoride in bedrock wells can exceed the limit. Above 4 mg/L long-term exposure causes skeletal fluorosis; above 2 mg/L children can develop tooth mottling.

Check your fluoride number

Type the value from your lab report. It is compared to the EPA limit, the same way the full interpretation does it.

Getting it fixed

Book a free in-home water test with a licensed local company, or see the treatment guide for what removes fluoride.

By county, from individual samples

Public monitoring samples against the EPA limit (4 mg/L); counties with at least 30 samples.

CountySamplesDetectedAbove EPA limitMedianHighest
Boise9985%23%1.3413 mg/L
Owyhee17696%18%0.920 mg/L
Franklin6195%10%0.386.4 mg/L
Lemhi11985%6%0.21711 mg/L
Twin Falls57099%4%0.732.5 mg/L
Custer9674%2%0.2016.71 mg/L
Elmore27592%1%0.429.8 mg/L
Bannock32578%<1%0.24.82 mg/L
Gooding12899%<1%0.44.82 mg/L
Power17192%<1%0.4575.9 mg/L
Fremont22594%<1%0.6456.98 mg/L
Canyon1,03295%<1%0.47816 mg/L
Bingham249100%0%0.5251 mg/L
Madison125100%0%0.412.98 mg/L
Jerome15399%0%0.50.7 mg/L

Sources

  • Individual samples from the USGS Water Quality Portal and state monitoring, summarized per geography. fluoride counts and shares are listed on each county and town page with their sources.