Well water in Copper River County, Alaska
In Copper River County, none of 115 tested well samples exceeded the EPA limit for nitrate, based on public data from USGS Water Quality Portal.
The strongest signal is lead: 25% of 12 local samples were above the limit, too few samples to carry the headline but first on the test list below.
721 test results across 10 contaminants from at least 79 wells, 1950 to 1992; chloride has the most at 127. Data refreshed September 3, 2026.
Compiled by Nick at Well Water Nerd from public records. How these pages are built
What individual samples found
Each row summarizes every public sample for that contaminant inside Copper River County. Above limit means above the EPA maximum contaminant level; where EPA has no enforceable limit, the row shows a health guideline or nuisance level instead.
| Contaminant | Above limit | Samples | Detected | Median | Highest | Limit |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lead 1969 to 1992 | 12 | 58% | 0 | 32 | 15 ug/L EPA limit | |
| Arsenic 1969 to 1992 | 14 | 86% | 0.55 | 94 | 10 ug/L EPA limit | |
| Copper 1956 to 1992 | 14 | 71% | 0 | 1.6 | 1.3 mg/L EPA limit | |
| Nitrate 1950 to 1992 | 115 | 97% | 0.1 | 4 | 10 mg/L EPA limit | |
| Fluoride 1950 to 1974 | 108 | 99% | 0.2 | 1.1 | 4 mg/L EPA limit | |
| Chloride 1950 to 1992 | no limit | 127 | 98% | 131 | 6,470 | 250 mg/L nuisance level |
| Iron 1950 to 1974 | no limit | 118 | 99% | 420 | 17,000 | 300 ug/L nuisance level |
| Sodium 1954 to 1974 | no limit | 112 | 100% | 64 | 1,150 | 20 mg/L health guideline |
| Manganese 1950 to 1992 | no limit | 100 | 93% | 120 | 2,200 | 300 ug/L health guideline |
Sampled fewer than 10 times, too few to summarize: Uranium (1).
Closer than the county
See the sampled wells near your address
The same records, drawn around one point: which wells within a few miles were sampled and what they found, how deep the wells next to you were drilled, and any leaking tank or cleanup site within a mile.
Check my addressWhat this means
The contaminants most often above their limit here are lead (25% of 12 samples), arsenic (21% of 14 samples), and copper (14% of 14 samples). A well next door can differ sharply from yours because bedrock fractures, well depth and plumbing all matter, so these rates describe the area, not your tap.
Chloride, Iron, and Manganese are widespread in local groundwater. They are mainly a staining and taste problem, but high manganese also carries a health advisory for infants.
What to test for in Copper River County
- 1Lead25% of 12 local samples were above the limit.
- 2Arsenic21% of 14 local samples were above the limit.
- 3Copper14% of 14 local samples were above the limit.
- 4Coliform bacteriaRecommended for every private well, every year.
- 5NitrateRecommended for every private well, especially near farms or septic systems.
- 6IronDetected in 99% of local samples.
- 7FluorideDetected in 99% of local samples.
- 8Volatile organic compounds (VOCs)37 leaking underground storage tank sites on record locally.
- 9Metals panel67 hazardous waste sites on record locally.
Test your Copper River County well for lead, arsenic and copper
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 a well tested in Alaska: certified labs, state programs and prices.
Already have results back? Get your lab report read against the Copper River County numbers, $29. Every line explained, ranked by what matters, with the fix for each.
Wells in Copper River County
82 domestic wells in Copper River County are on record with the state since 1981. 100% are drilled into bedrock, and the typical well is 78 feet deep (one in ten goes past 217 feet).
In a typical Copper River County well, bedrock starts about 260 feet down, the median yield is 12 gallons per minute, 2% of wells yield under 3 gallons per minute and usually need a storage tank.
Bedrock wells are where arsenic, uranium and radon come from: the water sits in fractures in granite and metamorphic rock and picks up whatever the rock carries. That is why testing for those three matters more here than in a dug or gravel well.
Find your own well's report
The state keeps the driller's report for most wells drilled since 1984. It tells you how deep your well is, where bedrock starts, and how much water it makes, which decides what treatment can work.
- Open Alaska DNR WELTS and choose Water Well.
- It lists depth, static water level, yield, depth to bedrock and the driller.
Alaska well logs are voluntary in most of the state, so many wells have none.
Contamination sources on record in Copper River County
Alaska DEC contaminated sites records 37 leaking underground storage tank sites and 67 hazardous waste sites in Copper River County, among 104 regulated sites in total. Groundwater does not follow property lines, so a well within a few hundred feet of one of these is worth testing for what that site could release.
- 37
- leaking underground storage tank sitesGasoline and heating oil that leaked from tanks move through groundwater as benzene, MTBE and other volatile organic compounds.
- 67
- hazardous waste sitesSolvents, degreasers and metals from industrial sites can travel far in fractured bedrock.
Treatment that fits the local profile
Lead
Point-of-use reverse osmosis; Certified lead-removal carbon filter; Neutralizing filter to raise pH and stop leaching
Arsenic
Point-of-use reverse osmosis; Adsorptive media (iron-based) whole-house; Anion exchange
Copper
Neutralizing filter to raise pH; Point-of-use reverse osmosis
Iron
Oxidizing filter whole-house; Water softener (low levels); Aeration plus filtration
Chloride
Point-of-use reverse osmosis; Distillation
Systems we would look at first
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For lead
Under-sink reverse osmosis system
under-sink or countertop, about $300
Look for NSF/ANSI 58 certification listing the contaminant you need removed.
For lead
Acid neutralizing filter
whole-house, at the point of entry, about $1,200
Raises pH so plumbing stops leaching lead and copper.
For lead
Aquasana SmartFlow reverse osmosis
under-sink or countertop, about $225
Certified to NSF/ANSI 58 and 53 to reduce arsenic (96%, pentavalent), fluoride (90%), lead (99%), nitrate, nitrite and PFOA/PFOS at the kitchen tap, with a remineralizer.
For arsenic
Whole-house arsenic and uranium filter
whole-house, at the point of entry, about $2,500
Adsorptive iron-based media; sized to your well yield.
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.
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No water treatment company serves Copper River County through Well Water Nerd yet. We are signing licensed companies on county by county: they test at your tap for free, walk you through the numbers, and quote treatment only if something needs fixing. Leave your details and you are first in line. Nothing is shared until a company joins for Copper River County, and you get an email naming it first.
Common questions
How deep are wells in Copper River County?
The typical domestic well in Copper River County is 78 feet deep, based on 82 wells reported to the state since 1981. One in ten is deeper than 217 feet. 100% are drilled into bedrock.
Is there arsenic in well water in Copper River County?
Arsenic was detected in 86% of 14 public well samples in Copper River County, and 21% were above the EPA limit of 10 ug/L. Arsenic has no taste or smell; a lab test is the only way to know your level.
How often should I test a private well in Copper River County?
Test for bacteria and nitrate every year. Test once for arsenic, uranium, radon, fluoride, manganese and PFAS, then again every three to five years or after any change in taste, color, or plumbing.
Counties near Copper River County
Closest first. Groundwater does not stop at a line on a map, so the next county over is a fair second opinion.
Want the numbers themselves? Download the Alaska dataset as CSV, every county and town, with the sources named.
Sources
- USGS Water Quality Portal: 721 samples in Copper River County. Data from the Water Quality Portal, a service of USGS, EPA and USDA; groundwater samples collected by USGS and cooperators. Retrieved September 3, 2026.
- Alaska DNR well log tracking system (WELTS): 451 well records in Copper River County, 82 domestic. Well logs filed with the Alaska Department of Natural Resources (WELTS). Only aggregates are shown; owner names and addresses are never stored. Retrieved September 18, 2026.
- Alaska DEC contaminated sites: 104 regulated sites located in Copper River County. Contaminated sites, including leaking tank sites, from the Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation. Retrieved September 18, 2026.
Non-detects count as samples and are treated as zero when computing medians. Exactly at the limit counts as not above it. A sample belongs to the town containing the well's reported coordinates.