Well water in Manchester, Connecticut
1in6
Testing recommended
tested well samples in Manchester exceeded the EPA limit for nitrate (10 mg/L), based on public data from USGS Water Quality Portal.
1,139 test results across 11 contaminants from at least 55 wells, 1915 to 2017; nitrate has the most at 259. 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 Manchester. 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nitrate 1954 to 2017 | 259 | 97% | 3.5 | 170 | 10 mg/L EPA limit | |
| Fluoride 1954 to 2017 | 113 | 11% | 0 | 0.1 | 4 mg/L EPA limit | |
| Copper 1954 to 2017 | 45 | 47% | 0 | 0.04 | 1.3 mg/L EPA limit | |
| Arsenic 1987 to 2017 | 45 | 13% | 0 | 1 | 10 ug/L EPA limit | |
| Lead 1987 to 2017 | 44 | 25% | 0 | 10 | 15 ug/L EPA limit | |
| Uranium 1954 to 2017 | 26 | 15% | 0 | 1 | 30 ug/L EPA limit | |
| Manganese 1954 to 2017 | no limit | 157 | 69% | 2 | 7,400 | 300 ug/L health guideline |
| Chloride 1915 to 2017 | no limit | 152 | 100% | 31.5 | 1,100 | 250 mg/L nuisance level |
| Iron 1915 to 2017 | no limit | 146 | 70% | 7.5 | 890 | 300 ug/L nuisance level |
| Sodium 1954 to 2017 | no limit | 143 | 100% | 18 | 480 | 20 mg/L health guideline |
Sampled fewer than 10 times, too few to summarize: Radium (226 + 228) (9).
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 | 18%231 samples | 6%18 samples | 0%10 samples | n/a |
Closer than the town
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 nitrate (17% of 259 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.
Manganese, Chloride, and Iron 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 Manchester
- 1Nitrate17% of 259 local samples were above the limit.
- 2Coliform bacteriaRecommended for every private well, every year.
- 3ChlorideDetected in 100% of local samples.
- 4IronDetected in 70% of local samples.
- 5ManganeseDetected in 69% of local samples.
- 6Volatile organic compounds (VOCs)124 leaking underground storage tank sites on record locally.
- 7Metals panel1 hazardous waste site on record locally.
Test your Manchester well for nitrate, coliform bacteria and chloride
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 Connecticut: certified labs, state programs and prices.
Already have results back? Get your lab report read against the Manchester numbers, $29. Every line explained, ranked by what matters, with the fix for each.
The rock under Manchester
Early Mesozoic basin aquifers
Sandstone. Sandstone wells draw from pore space in the rock and tend to be dependable. Iron, manganese and hardness are common, and some sandstones carry arsenic or radium, so a first test should include both.
Classification from the USGS Principal Aquifers of the United States (national map, 2003 edition, GIS release 2015), read at the town centroid. A single well can sit in a different unit, especially near a boundary.
Official help in Connecticut
Two places to start that are not selling anything: the state program that answers private well questions, and its list of labs certified to run drinking water tests. A certified lab is the difference between a result you can act on and a number.
- Private Wells, CT DPH
- Environmental Laboratory Certification, CT DPH
Contamination sources on record in Manchester
CT DEEP contaminated sites and landfills records 124 leaking underground storage tank sites, 1 hazardous waste site, and 4 reported spills and releases in Manchester, among 287 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.
- 124
- leaking underground storage tank sitesGasoline and heating oil that leaked from tanks move through groundwater as benzene, MTBE and other volatile organic compounds.
- 1
- hazardous waste siteSolvents, degreasers and metals from industrial sites can travel far in fractured bedrock.
- 4
- reported spills and releasesMost spills are fuel; a few are solvents or chemicals that reach the water table.
- 2
- lined landfills and transfer facilities
- 156
- other remediation projects
Treatment that fits the local profile
Nitrate
Point-of-use reverse osmosis; Anion exchange; Distillation
Manganese
Oxidizing filter (greensand, birm) whole-house; Water softener (low levels); Point-of-use reverse osmosis
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 nitrate
Under-sink reverse osmosis system
under-sink or countertop, about $300
Look for NSF/ANSI 58 certification listing the contaminant you need removed.
For nitrate
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 manganese
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.
Free, no obligation
Get on the list for a free in-home water test in Manchester
No water treatment company serves Manchester 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 Manchester, and you get an email naming it first.
Common questions
Is there arsenic in well water in Manchester?
Arsenic was detected in 13% of 45 public well samples in Manchester, and 0% 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 Manchester?
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.
Towns near Manchester
Closest first. Groundwater does not stop at a line on a map, so the next town over is a fair second opinion.
Want the numbers themselves? Download the Connecticut dataset as CSV, every county and town, with the sources named.
Sources
- USGS Water Quality Portal: 1,139 samples in Manchester. Data from the Water Quality Portal, a service of USGS, EPA and USDA; groundwater samples collected by USGS and cooperators. Retrieved September 3, 2026.
- CT DEEP contaminated sites and landfills: 287 regulated sites located in Manchester. Contaminated or potentially contaminated sites and solid waste landfills from the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection. Retrieved September 16, 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.