Well Water Nerd

Well water testing in Kentucky

Nobody tests a private well unless the owner does. In Kentucky, the public record says to start with lead, nitrate, arsenic, then bacteria every year. Below: what to order, where, what it costs, and the county-by-county results that set the order.

What to test for first

  1. 1
    Lead
    16% of 198 local samples were above the limit.
  2. 2
    Nitrate
    10% of 3,270 local samples were above the limit.
  3. 3
    Arsenic
    2% of 112 local samples were above the limit.
  4. 4
    Fluoride
    2% of 2,963 local samples were above the limit.
  5. 5
    Coliform bacteria
    Recommended for every private well, every year.

Test your Kentucky well for lead, nitrate and arsenic

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

Just want bacteria checked first? Tap Score coliform and E. coli test, $99. Coliform and E. coli are the tests every well needs every year.

Want a quick look before paying for a lab? Home well water test strips on Amazon check hardness, iron, pH and nitrate in minutes. They are a screen, not a result: arsenic, bacteria, uranium and PFAS need a certified lab.

Affiliate links: the merchant pays us a commission and the price is the same for you. It does not change what the data above says. As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases.

Where to get it tested

Three routes, and all of them work. A mail-in kit from a certified lab is the simplest: the lab ships bottles, you fill them at the kitchen tap, and results come back by email. The full panel above is $209.

A local certified lab is the second route. Drinking Water Lab Certification Program from Kentucky Energy and Environment Cabinet lists every lab certified for drinking water in Kentucky. Call ahead: some take walk-in samples, some ship bottles.

For questions about your well, Water Well Information at Kentucky Energy and Environment Cabinet is the official source.

Already have results? Get the lab report read line by line, $29.

Testing by county

The contaminant most often over its limit in each county's public record, highest share first. Open a county for the full test list and its towns.

CountyTest first forOver the limit
Meade CountyLead38%
Hickman CountyNitrate22%
Carlisle CountyNitrate22%
Hancock CountyNitrate21%
Christian CountyNitrate17%
Calloway CountyNitrate14%
Carroll CountyNitrate12%
Graves CountyNitrate11%
Hopkins CountyNitrate10%
Breckinridge CountyNitrate10%
Letcher CountyNitrate10%
Larue CountyNitrate9%
Henderson CountyFluoride8%
Marshall CountyNitrate7%
Jefferson CountyNitrate6%
McCracken CountyNitrate6%
Metcalfe CountyNitrate6%
Fleming CountyNitrate4%
Hardin CountyLead4%
Magoffin CountyNitrate3%
Ohio CountyNitrate3%
Hart CountyNitrate2%
Daviess CountyNitrate2%
Pike CountyNitrate1%
Edmonson CountyFluoride0%
Fayette CountyFluoride0%
Fulton CountyFluoride0%
Martin CountyFluoride0%
Warren CountyFluoride0%

Closer than the county: see the sampled wells near your address.

Free, no obligation

Get on the list for a free in-home water test in Kentucky

We are signing licensed water treatment companies county by county. They test at your tap for free, walk you through the numbers, and quote treatment only if something needs fixing. Nothing is shared until a company joins for your area, and you get an email naming it first.

What are you worried about?

The test is free and there is no obligation. No company is named yet; your details stay with us until one joins for your area, and we log the time and address of this request.

Common questions

What should I test my well for in Kentucky?

Start with lead, nitrate, arsenic. 16% of 198 local samples were above the limit. Add total coliform bacteria and nitrate every year for any private well.

Where can I get my well water tested in Kentucky?

Use a lab certified for drinking water. Kentucky Energy and Environment Cabinet keeps the list of certified labs. A mail-in kit from a certified lab works anywhere in the state.

How much does well water testing cost in Kentucky?

A full mail-in panel from a certified lab costs $209 (Tap Score well water test kit). A bacteria-only test costs $99 (Tap Score coliform and E. coli test).

How often should a private well be tested?

Bacteria and nitrate every year. A full panel once, then again after flooding, a change in taste, smell or color, work on the well, a new baby in the house, or a nearby result above the limit. Contaminants that come from the rock, like arsenic, radon and uranium, change slowly, so one good test and a check every few years is enough.