Well water in Chippewa County, Michigan
In Chippewa County, none of 34 tested well samples exceeded the EPA limit for nitrate, based on public data from USGS Water Quality Portal.
The strongest signal is lead: 13% of 23 local samples were above the limit, too few samples to carry the headline but first on the test list below.
218 test results across 11 contaminants from at least 20 wells, 1975 to 1995; nitrate has the most at 34. Data refreshed September 15, 2026.
Compiled by Nick at Well Water Nerd from public records. How these pages are built
An estimated 14,611 people in Chippewa County get their drinking water from a private well, per USGS 2015 county water use. That is about 38% of residents.
Separately, the USGS national arsenic model estimates that 6% of the 14,611 people on private wells in Chippewa County draw water above 10 ug/L (the model's range is 5% to 8%), from geology and well depth rather than local tests.
What individual samples found
Each row summarizes every public sample for that contaminant inside Chippewa 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 1975 to 1995 | 23 | 74% | 0 | 200 | 15 ug/L EPA limit | |
| Copper 1975 to 1995 | 25 | 84% | 0.001 | 1.9 | 1.3 mg/L EPA limit | |
| Nitrate 1975 to 1995 | 34 | 76% | 0.01 | 0.68 | 10 mg/L EPA limit | |
| Arsenic 1975 to 1995 | 24 | 83% | 1 | 4 | 10 ug/L EPA limit | |
| Fluoride 1975 to 1995 | 17 | 59% | 0.1 | 1.8 | 4 mg/L EPA limit | |
| Uranium 1976 to 1987 | 10 | 50% | 0.02 | 2.7 | 30 ug/L EPA limit | |
| Iron 1975 to 1995 | no limit | 25 | 92% | 280 | 23,000 | 300 ug/L nuisance level |
| Chloride 1975 to 1995 | no limit | 24 | 100% | 2.05 | 280 | 250 mg/L nuisance level |
| Manganese 1975 to 1995 | no limit | 18 | 78% | 19.5 | 150 | 300 ug/L health guideline |
| Sodium 1975 to 1995 | no limit | 17 | 100% | 3.5 | 160 | 20 mg/L health guideline |
Sampled fewer than 10 times, too few to summarize: Radium (226 + 228) (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 (13% of 23 samples) and copper (4% of 25 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.
Iron, Chloride, 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 Chippewa County
- 1Lead13% of 23 local samples were above the limit.
- 2Copper4% of 25 local samples were above the limit.
- 3Coliform bacteriaRecommended for every private well, every year.
- 4NitrateRecommended for every private well, especially near farms or septic systems.
- 5ChlorideDetected in 100% of local samples.
- 6IronDetected in 92% of local samples.
- 7ManganeseDetected in 78% of local samples.
- 8Volatile organic compounds (VOCs)77 leaking underground storage tank sites on record locally.
- 9Metals panel90 hazardous waste sites on record locally.
Test your Chippewa County well for lead, copper and coliform bacteria
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 Michigan: certified labs, state programs and prices.
Already have results back? Get your lab report read against the Chippewa County numbers, $29. Every line explained, ranked by what matters, with the fix for each.
Wells in Chippewa County
8,919 domestic wells in Chippewa County are on record with the state since 1955. 53% are drilled into bedrock, and the typical well is 105 feet deep (one in ten goes past 215 feet).
In a typical Chippewa County well, bedrock starts about 59 feet down, the median yield is 10 gallons per minute, 3% of wells yield under 3 gallons per minute and usually need a storage tank.
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 Wellogic (EGLE) and choose Water Well.
- The record lists depth, casing, static water level, the pump test and the geologic log.
Michigan has required well records since 1966, so most drilled wells are on file.
Official help in Michigan
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 Residential Water Well Testing, Michigan EGLE
- Laboratory certification program, Michigan EGLE
Contamination sources on record in Chippewa County
Michigan EGLE records 77 leaking underground storage tank sites and 90 hazardous waste sites in Chippewa County, among 305 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.
- 77
- leaking underground storage tank sitesGasoline and heating oil that leaked from tanks move through groundwater as benzene, MTBE and other volatile organic compounds.
- 90
- hazardous waste sitesSolvents, degreasers and metals from industrial sites can travel far in fractured bedrock.
- 137
- registered underground storage tank sitesRegistered tanks are regulated and inspected; they matter most when they are old or near a shallow well.
- 1
- lined landfill or transfer facility
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
Copper
Neutralizing filter to raise pH; Point-of-use reverse osmosis
Iron
Oxidizing filter whole-house; Water softener (low levels); Aeration plus filtration
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 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 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.
Free, no obligation
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Common questions
How deep are wells in Chippewa County?
The typical domestic well in Chippewa County is 105 feet deep, based on 8,919 wells reported to the state since 1955. One in ten is deeper than 215 feet. 53% are drilled into bedrock.
Is there arsenic in well water in Chippewa County?
Arsenic was detected in 83% of 24 public well samples in Chippewa County, 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 Chippewa 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.
Towns in Chippewa County
17 towns have fewer than 30 public samples and are included in the Chippewa County totals above rather than shown separately: Bay Mills township, Bruce township, Chippewa township, Dafter township, Detour township, Drummond township, Hulbert township, Kinross charter township, Pickford township, Raber township, Rudyard township, Sault Ste. Marie, Soo township, Sugar Island township, Superior township, Trout Lake township, Whitefish township.
Counties near Chippewa 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 Michigan dataset as CSV, every county and town, with the sources named.
Sources
- USGS Water Quality Portal: 218 samples in Chippewa 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.
- USGS national arsenic model (Ayotte 2017): estimated share of 14,611 people on private wells in Chippewa County above 10 ug/L of arsenic, from geology, well depth and land use. County estimates of domestic well users with arsenic above 10 ug/L from the USGS national logistic regression model (Ayotte, Medalie and Qi, 2017), with private well population from the USGS 2015 county water-use compilation (Dieter and others, 2018). Retrieved September 15, 2026.
- Michigan Wellogic well records: 8,919 well records in Chippewa County, 8,919 domestic. Water well records from Wellogic, the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy statewide well database. Only aggregates are shown; owner names and addresses are never stored. Retrieved September 16, 2026.
- Michigan EGLE regulated sites: 305 regulated sites located in Chippewa County. Part 201 environmental contamination sites, underground storage tank facilities and Part 115 landfills from the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy. 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.