Lead in Idaho well water
In Idaho, <1% of 2,749 tested private well samples exceeded the EPA limit for lead (15 ug/L).
Lead in well water almost always comes from household plumbing and older fixtures, not the aquifer, and corrosive (low pH) well water makes it worse. There is no safe level for children; it harms brain development.
Check your lead 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 lead.
By county, from individual samples
Public monitoring samples against the EPA limit (15 ug/L); counties with at least 30 samples.
| County | Samples | Detected | Above EPA limit | Median | Highest |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Payette | 107 | 17% | <1% | 0 | 16 ug/L |
| Lincoln | 42 | 31% | 0% | 0 | 5 ug/L |
| Custer | 38 | 26% | 0% | 0 | 2 ug/L |
| Kootenai | 70 | 26% | 0% | 0 | 2 ug/L |
| Jerome | 56 | 25% | 0% | 0 | 4 ug/L |
| Butte | 50 | 24% | 0% | 0 | 11 ug/L |
| Twin Falls | 179 | 21% | 0% | 0 | 2.4 ug/L |
| Cassia | 58 | 21% | 0% | 0 | 4 ug/L |
| Latah | 76 | 20% | 0% | 0 | 4 ug/L |
| Nez Perce | 51 | 20% | 0% | 0 | 1 ug/L |
| Blaine | 52 | 19% | 0% | 0 | 2 ug/L |
| Fremont | 62 | 16% | 0% | 0 | 2.3 ug/L |
| Bear Lake | 33 | 15% | 0% | 0 | 0.41 ug/L |
| Gooding | 47 | 15% | 0% | 0 | 2 ug/L |
| Bonneville | 55 | 15% | 0% | 0 | 10 ug/L |
- New Plymouth CCD, Payette County2% of 66
- Hollister CCD, Twin Falls County0% of 34
- Howe CCD, Butte County0% of 30
- Island Park CCD, Fremont County0% of 32
- Blanchard-Glengary CCD, Bonner County0% of 51
- Pocatello CCD, Bannock County0% of 34
- Kuna CCD, Ada County0% of 30
- American Falls CCD, Power County0% of 31
- Boise City CCD, Ada County0% of 66
- St. Maries CCD, Benewah County0% of 42
- Buhl CCD, Twin Falls County0% of 38
- Mud Lake-Hamer CCD, Jefferson County0% of 31
- South Bannock CCD, Bannock County0% of 63
- Wilder CCD, Canyon County0% of 36
- Weiser CCD, Washington County0% of 36
- Mountain Home CCD, Elmore County0% of 62
- Middleton CCD, Canyon County0% of 38
- Eagle CCD, Ada County0% of 59
- Nampa CCD, Canyon County0% of 77
- Orchard CCD, Ada County0% of 38
Sources
- Individual samples from the USGS Water Quality Portal and state monitoring, summarized per geography. lead counts and shares are listed on each county and town page with their sources.