Well water in Columbia, New Hampshire
In Columbia, none of 35 private wells tested between 2006 and 2020 had nitrate above the New Hampshire guidance level (10 mg/L), according to NH DHHS.
35 private wells tested 2006 to 2020 in state summaries; 11 individual samples from 7 wells, 1987 to 2017. Data refreshed September 3, 2026.
Separately, a USGS and NHDES statistical model puts the chance that a bedrock well in Columbia exceeds 5 ug/L of arsenic at 7% (as low as 1% in parts of town), based on geology rather than tests.
What homeowner tests found
NH DHHS WISDOM private well summaries: private wells tested and reported to the state, 2006 to 2020. Shares are against the level the state applies to each contaminant, named in the last column; several are stricter than EPA.
| Contaminant | Wells tested | Above state level | Median | 95th pct | Highest | State level | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Iron | 25 | 12% | 0 | 900 | 2,900 | 300 ug/L | |
| Sodium | 25 | 4% | 3.1 | 11.2 | 32.7 | 20 mg/L | |
| Manganese | 25 | 4% | 0 | 100 | 400 | 300 ug/L | |
| Arsenic | 27 | 4% | 0.7 | 1.5 | 29.4 | 5 ug/L | |
| Nitrate | 35 | 0% | 0 | 2.2 | 3.1 | 10 mg/L | |
| Chloride | 35 | 0% | 3 | 16.9 | 68 | 250 mg/L | |
| Nitrite | 35 | 0% | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 mg/L | |
| Fluoride | 25 | 0% | 0.1 | 1.1 | 3.3 | 4 mg/L | |
| Uranium | 25 | 0% | 0.7 | 3.1 | 17 | 30 ug/L |
What individual samples found
Each row summarizes every public sample for that contaminant inside Columbia. 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 | Samples | Detected | Above limit | Median | Highest | Limit | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nitrate 1987 to 2017 | 11 | 73% | 0% | 0.51 | 5.75 | 10 mg/L EPA limit |
Sampled fewer than 10 times, too few to summarize: E. coli (2), Fluoride (7), Arsenic (5), Lead (4), Radium (226 + 228) (4), Copper (4), Uranium (2), Chloride (7), Manganese (7), Sodium (7), Radon (1).
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What this means
Among homeowners in Columbia who sent a sample to the state lab, the health-based limits most often exceeded were arsenic (4% of 27 wells). These are ordinary wells tested by their owners, so the shares are the best available picture of a typical well here, with one caveat: people test more often when they suspect a problem.
Iron exceeds the state's advisory level in a sizable share of wells; this is mostly a taste, staining or diet issue rather than a toxicity one.
What to test for in Columbia
- Volatile organic compounds (VOCs)2 reported spills and releases on record locally.
- Iron12% of 25 local wells tested were above the New Hampshire guidance level.
- Sodium4% of 25 local wells tested were above the New Hampshire guidance level.
- Manganese4% of 25 local wells tested were above the New Hampshire guidance level.
- Arsenic4% of 27 local wells tested were above the New Hampshire guidance level.
- RadonMedian local reading is 1,250 pCi/L.
- E. coliAbove the limit in 1 of 2 local samples; too few to quote a rate.
- NitrateRecommended for every private well, especially near farms or septic systems.
- ChlorideDetected in 86% of local samples.
Wells in Columbia
171 domestic wells in Columbia are on record with the state since 1984. 94% are drilled into bedrock, and the typical well is 285 feet deep (one in ten goes past 540 feet).
In a typical Columbia well, bedrock starts about 29 feet down, the median yield is 8 gallons per minute, 26% 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 NHDES OneStop and choose Water Well.
- Enter your town and one word of your street name. Leave out the house number and the Road or Street part; a short search matches more.
- In the results, click Show for your address to see the report: total depth, depth to bedrock, casing, yield in gallons per minute, static water level, and the driller.
- Save Results exports the whole list to a spreadsheet.
Reports exist only for wells drilled since January 1984, when reporting became mandatory, and street names are as they were when the well was drilled.
Contamination sources on record in Columbia
NHDES records 2 reported spills and releases in Columbia, among 16 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.
- 2
- reported spills and releasesMost spills are fuel; a few are solvents or chemicals that reach the water table.
- 7
- registered underground storage tank sitesRegistered tanks are regulated and inspected; they matter most when they are old or near a shallow well.
- 1
- locally identified potential contamination sourceTowns inventory these (vehicle repair, labs, salt piles, farms) when they draw wellhead protection maps.
- 5
- other remediation projects
- 1
- other solid waste facility
Treatment that fits the local profile
- Iron
- Oxidizing filter whole-house; Water softener (low levels); Aeration plus filtration
- Chloride
- Point-of-use reverse osmosis; Distillation
- Manganese
- Oxidizing filter (greensand, birm) whole-house; Water softener (low levels); Point-of-use reverse osmosis
Book a free water test in Columbia
A licensed local water treatment company tests your tap water in your home, walks you through the numbers, and quotes treatment only if something needs fixing. Free, about 30 minutes, no obligation.
Common questions
How deep are wells in Columbia?
The typical domestic well in Columbia is 285 feet deep, based on 171 wells reported to the state since 1984. One in ten is deeper than 540 feet. 94% are drilled into bedrock.
Is there arsenic in well water in Columbia?
Arsenic was detected in 40% of 5 public well samples in Columbia, 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 high is radon in well water in Columbia?
The median radon level across 1 public samples in Columbia was 1,250 pCi/L, with a high of 1,250 pCi/L. New Hampshire recommends treatment above 2,000 pCi/L.
How often should I test a private well in Columbia?
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.
Sources
- USGS Water Quality Portal: 61 samples in Columbia. Data from the Water Quality Portal, a service of USGS, EPA and USDA; groundwater samples collected by USGS and cooperators. Retrieved September 3, 2026.
- NH DHHS WISDOM private well summaries: summaries for 9 contaminants in Columbia, up to 35 wells each. Town summaries of private well tests run by the New Hampshire Public Health Laboratories, published by NH DHHS through the WISDOM environmental public health tracking portal. Exceedance shares use New Hampshire guidance levels, which are stricter than EPA for arsenic (5 ug/L), manganese (0.3 mg/L), radon (2,000 pCi/L) and sodium (20 mg/L). Statistics for small counts are suppressed (*). Retrieved September 3, 2026.
- NHDES Water Well Inventory: 177 well records in Columbia, 171 domestic. Well construction records reported to the New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services Water Well Board. Only aggregates are shown; owner names and addresses are never stored. Retrieved September 3, 2026.
- NHDES OneStop regulated sites: 16 regulated sites located in Columbia. Remediation sites, underground storage tanks, solid waste facilities and potential contamination sources from the New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services OneStop database. Retrieved September 3, 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.