Well water in Matanuska-Susitna County, Alaska
1in5
Testing strongly recommended
tested well samples in Matanuska-Susitna County exceeded the EPA limit for arsenic (10 ug/L), based on public data from USGS Water Quality Portal.
2,086 test results across 12 contaminants from at least 200 wells, 1948 to 2011; chloride has the most at 476. Data refreshed September 3, 2026.
Compiled by Nick at Well Water Nerd from public records. How these pages are built
An estimated 81,773 people in Matanuska-Susitna County get their drinking water from a private well, per USGS 2015 county water use. That is about 81% of residents.
What individual samples found
Each row summarizes every public sample for that contaminant inside Matanuska-Susitna 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Arsenic 1969 to 1999 | 95 | 71% | 2 | 62 | 10 ug/L EPA limit | |
| Nitrate 1948 to 2011 | 352 | 77% | 0.2 | 111 | 10 mg/L EPA limit | |
| Lead 1969 to 1999 | 91 | 35% | 0 | 22 | 15 ug/L EPA limit | |
| Fluoride 1948 to 2011 | 252 | 64% | 0 | 5.6 | 4 mg/L EPA limit | |
| Copper 1959 to 1999 | 91 | 84% | 0.004 | 0.24 | 1.3 mg/L EPA limit | |
| Radium (226 + 228) 1999 | 34 | 100% | 0 | 0 | 5 pCi/L EPA limit | |
| Uranium 1999 | 17 | 0% | 0 | 0 | 30 ug/L EPA limit | |
| Chloride 1948 to 2011 | no limit | 476 | 100% | 6 | 1,100 | 250 mg/L nuisance level |
| Iron 1948 to 2011 | no limit | 253 | 94% | 90 | 57,000 | 300 ug/L nuisance level |
| Sodium 1952 to 2011 | no limit | 218 | 100% | 5.75 | 560 | 20 mg/L health guideline |
| Manganese 1949 to 2011 | no limit | 192 | 89% | 41 | 14,000 | 300 ug/L health guideline |
| Radon 1999 | no limit | 15 | 100% | 250 | 450 | 2,000 pCi/L health guideline |
Over time
Share of samples above the limit by period. A cell needs ten samples to show; a comparison needs twenty in each period. Later periods sample fewer wells, and often the ones already known to have a problem.
| Contaminant | before 2000 | 2000s | 2010s | 2020s |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nitrate | 7%270 samples | 2%56 samples | 4%26 samples | n/a |
| Fluoride | <1%223 samples | 0%16 samples | 0%13 samples | n/a |
Nitrate has held within a few points between the two most recent periods with enough samples.
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 arsenic (20% of 95 samples), nitrate (6% of 352 samples), and lead (2% of 91 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 Matanuska-Susitna County
- 1Arsenic20% of 95 local samples were above the limit.
- 2Nitrate6% of 352 local samples were above the limit.
- 3Lead2% of 91 local samples were above the limit.
- 4Fluoride<1% of 252 local samples were above the limit.
- 5Coliform bacteriaRecommended for every private well, every year.
- 6RadonMedian local reading is 250 pCi/L.
- 7ChlorideDetected in 100% of local samples.
- 8Volatile organic compounds (VOCs)170 leaking underground storage tank sites on record locally.
- 9Metals panel196 hazardous waste sites on record locally.
Test your Matanuska-Susitna County well for arsenic, nitrate and lead
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 Matanuska-Susitna County numbers, $29. Every line explained, ranked by what matters, with the fix for each.
Wells in Matanuska-Susitna County
6,895 domestic wells in Matanuska-Susitna County are on record with the state since 1970. 100% are drilled into bedrock, and the typical well is 101 feet deep (one in ten goes past 217 feet).
In a typical Matanuska-Susitna County well, bedrock starts about 49 feet down, the median yield is 15 gallons per minute, 4% 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 Matanuska-Susitna County
Alaska DEC contaminated sites records 170 leaking underground storage tank sites and 196 hazardous waste sites in Matanuska-Susitna County, among 366 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.
- 170
- leaking underground storage tank sitesGasoline and heating oil that leaked from tanks move through groundwater as benzene, MTBE and other volatile organic compounds.
- 196
- hazardous waste sitesSolvents, degreasers and metals from industrial sites can travel far in fractured bedrock.
Treatment that fits the local profile
Arsenic
Point-of-use reverse osmosis; Adsorptive media (iron-based) whole-house; Anion exchange
Nitrate
Point-of-use reverse osmosis; Anion exchange; Distillation
Lead
Point-of-use reverse osmosis; Certified lead-removal carbon filter; Neutralizing filter to raise pH and stop leaching
Fluoride
Point-of-use reverse osmosis; Activated alumina; Distillation
Iron
Oxidizing filter whole-house; Water softener (low levels); Aeration plus filtration
Systems we would look at first
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 arsenic
Under-sink reverse osmosis system
under-sink or countertop, about $300
Look for NSF/ANSI 58 certification listing the contaminant you need removed.
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 arsenic
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 lead
Aquasana Claryum 3-Stage under-sink filter
under-sink or countertop, about $175
Certified to NSF/ANSI 53 to reduce 99% of lead and 99.7% of PFOA and PFOS at the tap. Not a fix for arsenic, nitrate or bacteria.
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 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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Common questions
How deep are wells in Matanuska-Susitna County?
The typical domestic well in Matanuska-Susitna County is 101 feet deep, based on 6,895 wells reported to the state since 1970. One in ten is deeper than 217 feet. 100% are drilled into bedrock.
Is there arsenic in well water in Matanuska-Susitna County?
Arsenic was detected in 71% of 95 public well samples in Matanuska-Susitna County, and 20% 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 high is radon in well water in Matanuska-Susitna County?
The median radon level across 15 public samples in Matanuska-Susitna County was 250 pCi/L, with a high of 450 pCi/L. New Hampshire recommends treatment above 2,000 pCi/L.
How often should I test a private well in Matanuska-Susitna 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 Matanuska-Susitna 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: 2,086 samples in Matanuska-Susitna 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): 14,681 well records in Matanuska-Susitna County, 6,895 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: 366 regulated sites located in Matanuska-Susitna 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.