Well water in Dryden, New York
In Dryden, none of 33 tested well samples exceeded the EPA limit for nitrate, based on public data from USGS Water Quality Portal.
The strongest signal is arsenic: 6% of 17 local samples were above the limit, too few samples to carry the headline but first on the test list below.
212 test results across 12 contaminants from at least 26 wells, 1965 to 2023; nitrate has the most at 33. 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 Dryden. 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 2005 to 2023 | 17 | 88% | 0.7 | 13.1 | 10 ug/L EPA limit | |
| Nitrate 1965 to 2023 | 33 | 30% | 0 | 1.78 | 10 mg/L EPA limit | |
| Fluoride 1965 to 2022 | 18 | 78% | 0.1 | 0.4 | 4 mg/L EPA limit | |
| Uranium 2005 to 2022 | 14 | 100% | 0.584 | 0.934 | 30 ug/L EPA limit | |
| Copper 2005 to 2022 | 14 | 71% | 0.001 | 0.009 | 1.3 mg/L EPA limit | |
| Lead 2005 to 2022 | 14 | 57% | 0.07 | 0.326 | 15 ug/L EPA limit | |
| Chloride 1965 to 2023 | no limit | 27 | 100% | 6 | 158 | 250 mg/L nuisance level |
| Manganese 1965 to 2023 | no limit | 23 | 100% | 144 | 222 | 300 ug/L health guideline |
| Sodium 1965 to 2023 | no limit | 21 | 100% | 9.27 | 90.9 | 20 mg/L health guideline |
| Iron 1965 to 2023 | no limit | 21 | 90% | 56.6 | 891 | 300 ug/L nuisance level |
Sampled fewer than 10 times, too few to summarize: E. coli (4), Radon (6).
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 arsenic (6% of 17 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, Manganese, 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 Dryden
- 1Arsenic6% of 17 local samples were above the limit.
- 2Coliform bacteriaRecommended for every private well, every year.
- 3RadonMedian local reading is 155 pCi/L.
- 4NitrateRecommended for every private well, especially near farms or septic systems.
- 5ChlorideDetected in 100% of local samples.
- 6ManganeseDetected in 100% of local samples.
- 7IronDetected in 90% of local samples.
Test your Dryden well for arsenic, coliform bacteria and radon
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 New York: certified labs, state programs and prices.
Already have results back? Get your lab report read against the Dryden numbers, $29. Every line explained, ranked by what matters, with the fix for each.
Wells in Dryden
653 domestic wells in Dryden are on record with the state. the typical well is 145 feet deep (one in ten goes past 260 feet).
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 NYSDEC water well completion reports and choose Water Well.
- The report lists depth, depth to bedrock, cased depth, yield and the driller.
Drillers have filed reports with the state since April 2000; a well drilled before then usually has no record.
The rock under Dryden
Not a principal aquifer
The USGS map places this area outside any principal aquifer, which usually means wells here draw from fractured bedrock or thin local deposits rather than a large regional aquifer. Bedrock wells of that kind are where arsenic, radon and uranium turn up, and yields vary from well to well.
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 New York
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, NYSDOH
- Environmental Laboratory Approval Program, NYSDOH
Treatment that fits the local profile
Arsenic
Point-of-use reverse osmosis; Adsorptive media (iron-based) whole-house; Anion exchange
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 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 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 Dryden
No water treatment company serves Dryden 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 Dryden, and you get an email naming it first.
Common questions
How deep are wells in Dryden?
The typical domestic well in Dryden is 145 feet deep, based on 653 wells reported to the state. One in ten is deeper than 260 feet.
Is there arsenic in well water in Dryden?
Arsenic was detected in 88% of 17 public well samples in Dryden, and 6% 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 Dryden?
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 Dryden
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 New York dataset as CSV, every county and town, with the sources named.
Sources
- USGS Water Quality Portal: 212 samples in Dryden. Data from the Water Quality Portal, a service of USGS, EPA and USDA; groundwater samples collected by USGS and cooperators. Retrieved September 3, 2026.
- NYSDEC water well completion reports: 674 well records in Dryden, 653 domestic. Water well completion reports filed with the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation Water Well Contractor Program since 2000. Only aggregates are shown; owner names and addresses are never stored. 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.