Iron in Michigan well water
In Michigan, iron was detected in 96% of 2,815 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 Michigan 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 Michigan: 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Saginaw | no limit | 44 | 100% | 930 | 120,000 ug/L |
| Clinton | no limit | 156 | 100% | 770 | 13,000 ug/L |
| Ingham | no limit | 216 | 100% | 794 | 29,000 ug/L |
| Menominee | no limit | 32 | 100% | 457 | 3,600 ug/L |
| Eaton | no limit | 84 | 100% | 1,100 | 6,600 ug/L |
| Bay | no limit | 32 | 100% | 1,500 | 310,000 ug/L |
| Van Buren | no limit | 44 | 100% | 1,000 | 25,000 ug/L |
| Shiawassee | no limit | 30 | 100% | 825 | 170,000 ug/L |
| Delta | no limit | 128 | 99% | 200 | 17,000 ug/L |
| Genesee | no limit | 55 | 98% | 330 | 12,000 ug/L |
| Washtenaw | no limit | 213 | 97% | 1,800 | 10,000 ug/L |
| Kalamazoo | no limit | 90 | 97% | 650 | 29,000 ug/L |
| Monroe | no limit | 58 | 97% | 97 | 2,600 ug/L |
| Huron | no limit | 84 | 96% | 515 | 1,500 ug/L |
| Marquette | no limit | 67 | 96% | 160 | 84,000 ug/L |
- Sands township, Marquette County100% detected of 33
- Pontiac, Oakland County100% detected of 34
- Oakland charter township, Oakland County100% detected of 37
- Meridian charter township, Ingham County100% detected of 32
- Holly township, Oakland County98% detected of 49
- Kalamazoo, Kalamazoo County93% detected of 41
- Brandon charter township, Oakland County88% detected of 42
- Brighton township, Livingston County84% detected of 32
- Green Oak township, Livingston County71% detected of 41
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.