Iron in Colorado well water
In Colorado, iron was detected in 73% of 9,931 tested private well samples.
Iron is a nuisance rather than a health hazard: rust stains, metallic taste, and clogged fixtures above 300 ug/L. It often occurs with manganese and can feed iron bacteria that foul plumbing.
Check your iron number
Type the value from your lab report. It is compared to the EPA limit, the same way the full interpretation does it.
Test your Colorado well for iron
Certified lab analysis of your own tap water, bottles and prepaid return shipping included. The Essential well panel covers arsenic, uranium, nitrate, lead, copper, manganese, iron, sodium and bacteria; radon and PFAS are add-ons.
Order the Tap Score well water test kit, from $209Already tested? Upload the report
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Systems that remove iron
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Some links below are affiliate links. If you buy through one, the merchant pays us a commission at no extra cost to you. It does not change which products we list or what the data says.
For iron
Iron and manganese oxidizing filter
whole-house, at the point of entry, about $1,800
Air-injection or greensand media; fixes staining at the source.
Rather have it installed and sized for your well? Book a free in-home water test with a licensed local company.
Where to get a well tested for iron in Colorado: certified labs, state programs and prices.
By county, from individual samples
Public monitoring samples against the EPA limit; counties with at least 30 samples.
| County | Above EPA limit | Samples | Detected | Median | Highest |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Las Animas | no limit | 60 | 100% | 230 | 420,000 ug/L |
| Larimer | no limit | 148 | 98% | 50 | 9,800 ug/L |
| Kiowa | no limit | 49 | 98% | 50 | 4,100 ug/L |
| Yuma | no limit | 42 | 98% | 10 | 220 ug/L |
| Cheyenne | no limit | 30 | 97% | 105 | 1,400 ug/L |
| Baca | no limit | 72 | 96% | 30 | 16,000 ug/L |
| Moffat | no limit | 99 | 93% | 80 | 80,000 ug/L |
| Pueblo | no limit | 243 | 92% | 30 | 34,000 ug/L |
| Otero | no limit | 94 | 91% | 35 | 11,300 ug/L |
| Rio Blanco | no limit | 386 | 91% | 71.2 | 150,000 ug/L |
| Routt | no limit | 616 | 90% | 50 | 590,000 ug/L |
| Lake | no limit | 48 | 90% | 40 | 4,420 ug/L |
| La Plata | no limit | 264 | 83% | 40 | 20,000 ug/L |
| Denver | no limit | 135 | 81% | 50 | 17,000 ug/L |
| Custer | no limit | 43 | 79% | 30 | 6,000 ug/L |
- Ault CCD, Weld County100% detected of 37
- Windsor CCD, Weld County100% detected of 37
- Colorado City-Rye CCD, Pueblo County100% detected of 33
- Brighton CCD, Adams County98% detected of 63
- Fort Collins CCD, Larimer County98% detected of 59
- Sheridan Lake CCD, Kiowa County97% detected of 35
- Timnath-Wellington CCD, Larimer County97% detected of 68
- West Adams CCD, Adams County97% detected of 33
- Leadville CCD, Lake County97% detected of 31
- Craig CCD, Moffat County95% detected of 84
- Cheraw CCD, Otero County95% detected of 60
- Walsh CCD, Baca County95% detected of 39
- Pueblo West CCD, Pueblo County95% detected of 38
- Greeley CCD, Weld County94% detected of 103
- Northeast Jefferson CCD, Jefferson County92% detected of 98
- Meeker CCD, Rio Blanco County92% detected of 365
- Keenesburg-Hudson CCD, Weld County91% detected of 58
- Pueblo CCD, Pueblo County91% detected of 146
- Hayden CCD, Routt County91% detected of 529
- Eagle-Gypsum CCD, Eagle County90% detected of 48
Sources
- Individual samples from the USGS Water Quality Portal and state monitoring, summarized per geography. iron counts and shares are listed on each county and town page with their sources.