Iron in Idaho well water
In Idaho, iron was detected in 57% of 22,507 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 Idaho 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 Idaho: 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Shoshone | no limit | 1,985 | 99% | 100 | 324,000 ug/L |
| Camas | no limit | 139 | 91% | 310 | 18,000 ug/L |
| Valley | no limit | 268 | 87% | 120 | 10,500 ug/L |
| Franklin | no limit | 112 | 84% | 182 | 6,120 ug/L |
| Boundary | no limit | 222 | 81% | 20.4 | 2,700 ug/L |
| Butte | no limit | 1,957 | 77% | 40 | 851,000 ug/L |
| Benewah | no limit | 347 | 75% | 30 | 2,700 ug/L |
| Owyhee | no limit | 442 | 74% | 32.7 | 5,000 ug/L |
| Boise | no limit | 212 | 73% | 32.5 | 35,700 ug/L |
| Washington | no limit | 311 | 68% | 37.1 | 4,400 ug/L |
| Idaho | no limit | 336 | 66% | 11 | 1,900 ug/L |
| Bonner | no limit | 655 | 65% | 9.5 | 6,720 ug/L |
| Latah | no limit | 440 | 62% | 11.9 | 8,900 ug/L |
| Bear Lake | no limit | 205 | 62% | 15.6 | 7,940 ug/L |
| Bannock | no limit | 668 | 58% | 5 | 42,700 ug/L |
- Osburn-Wallace CCD, Shoshone County100% detected of 554
- Kellogg CCD, Shoshone County100% detected of 1,320
- West Camas CCD, Camas County98% detected of 49
- Mink Creek CCD, Franklin County93% detected of 57
- Cascade CCD, Valley County93% detected of 125
- Harrison CCD, Kootenai County91% detected of 100
- Bonners Ferry CCD, Boundary County89% detected of 90
- East Camas CCD, Camas County87% detected of 90
- Deary-Bovill CCD, Latah County86% detected of 59
- Marsing CCD, Owyhee County85% detected of 68
- Idaho City CCD, Boise County85% detected of 91
- Tensed CCD, Benewah County82% detected of 73
- Howe CCD, Butte County82% detected of 1,626
- Avery-Clarkia CCD, Shoshone County81% detected of 80
- McCall CCD, Valley County81% detected of 143
- Moscow CCD, Latah County80% detected of 88
- Grand View CCD, Owyhee County78% detected of 139
- Moyie Springs CCD, Boundary County78% detected of 82
- St. Maries CCD, Benewah County78% detected of 198
- Priest River CCD, Bonner County77% detected of 142
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.