Well water in Martin County, North Carolina
In Martin County, 2% of 130 private wells tested between 1998 and 2019 had lead above the North Carolina groundwater standard (15 ug/L), according to the NC State Laboratory of Public Health (NCWELL).
131 private wells tested 1998 to 2019 in state summaries; 12 individual samples from 12 wells, 1956 to 2022. Data refreshed September 9, 2026.
What homeowner tests found
NCWELL private well summaries: private wells tested and reported to the state, 1998 to 2019. Shares are against the level the state applies to each contaminant, named in the last column; several are stricter than EPA.
What individual samples found
Each row summarizes every public sample for that contaminant inside Martin 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 | Samples | Detected | Above limit | Median | Highest | Limit | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Iron 1957 to 1964 | 12 | 100% | no limit | 210 | 1,300 | 300 ug/L nuisance level |
Sampled fewer than 10 times, too few to summarize: Radium (226 + 228) (4), Fluoride (4), Uranium (3), E. coli (3), Arsenic (2), PFOA (1), PFOS (1), Chloride (6), Radon (2), Manganese (1).
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What this means
Among homeowners in Martin County who sent a sample to the state lab, the health-based limits most often exceeded were lead (2% of 130 wells) and copper (1% of 70 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 Martin County
- Volatile organic compounds (VOCs)325 leaking underground storage tank sites on record locally.
- Iron34% of 71 local wells tested were above the North Carolina groundwater standard.
- Manganese5% of 131 local wells tested were above the North Carolina groundwater standard.
- Lead2% of 130 local wells tested were above the North Carolina groundwater standard.
- Copper1% of 70 local wells tested were above the North Carolina groundwater standard.
- Coliform bacteriaRecommended for every private well, every year.
- RadonMedian local reading is 76 pCi/L.
- FluorideDetected in 100% of local samples.
- ChlorideDetected in 100% of local samples.
Contamination sources on record in Martin County
NC DEQ records 325 leaking underground storage tank sites in Martin County, among 325 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.
- 325
- leaking underground storage tank sitesGasoline and heating oil that leaked from tanks move through groundwater as benzene, MTBE and other volatile organic compounds.
Treatment that fits the local profile
- Iron
- Oxidizing filter whole-house; Water softener (low levels); Aeration plus filtration
- Fluoride
- Point-of-use reverse osmosis; Activated alumina; Distillation
- Chloride
- Point-of-use reverse osmosis; Distillation
- Manganese
- Oxidizing filter (greensand, birm) whole-house; Water softener (low levels); Point-of-use reverse osmosis
Get your Martin County water tested at home
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Common questions
Is there arsenic in well water in Martin County?
Arsenic was detected in 50% of 2 public well samples in Martin 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 high is radon in well water in Martin County?
The median radon level across 2 public samples in Martin County was 76 pCi/L, with a high of 101 pCi/L. New Hampshire recommends treatment above 2,000 pCi/L.
How often should I test a private well in Martin 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.
Sources
- USGS Water Quality Portal: 39 samples in Martin 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.
- NCWELL private well summaries: summaries for 7 contaminants in Martin County, up to 131 wells each. County summaries of private well tests run by the NC State Laboratory of Public Health, 1998 to 2019, compiled by the UNC Superfund Research Program (NCWELL database). Counts are tests, not distinct wells; since 2008 every new well is tested once, so most tests are unique wells. Shares are against the NC 2L groundwater standard where one exists (manganese 50 ug/L, lead 15, iron 300) and otherwise the EPA limit. Medians are not used because more than half of results sit at the reporting limit for most analytes. Retrieved September 9, 2026.
- NC DEQ regulated sites: 325 regulated sites located in Martin County. Underground storage tank incidents from the North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality UST Section. Retrieved September 9, 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.