Well water in Yadkin County, North Carolina

In Yadkin County, 2% of 229 private wells tested between 1998 and 2019 had nitrate above the EPA limit (10 mg/L), according to the NC State Laboratory of Public Health (NCWELL).

329 private wells tested 1998 to 2019 in state summaries; 6 individual samples from 3 wells, 2007 to 2014. 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.

Contaminant	Wells tested	Above state level	Highest	State level
Manganese	328	30%	580	50 ug/L
Iron	243	29%	7,900	300 ug/L
Nitrate	229	2%	15.3	10 mg/L
Arsenic	328	<1%	25	10 ug/L
Copper	243	<1%	3.1	1 mg/L
Lead	329	<1%	24	15 ug/L
Nitrite	229	0%	0.14	1 mg/L

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What this means

Among homeowners in Yadkin County who sent a sample to the state lab, the health-based limits most often exceeded were nitrate (2% of 229 wells), arsenic (<1% of 328 wells), and copper (<1% of 243 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.

Manganese and iron exceed the state's advisory level in a sizable share of wells; these are mostly a taste, staining or diet issue rather than a toxicity one.

What to test for in Yadkin County

Volatile organic compounds (VOCs)153 leaking underground storage tank sites on record locally.
Manganese30% of 328 local wells tested were above the North Carolina groundwater standard.
Iron29% of 243 local wells tested were above the North Carolina groundwater standard.
Nitrate2% of 229 local wells tested were above the EPA limit.
Arsenic<1% of 328 local wells tested were above the North Carolina groundwater standard.
Copper<1% of 243 local wells tested were above the North Carolina groundwater standard.
Lead<1% of 329 local wells tested were above the North Carolina groundwater standard.
RadonMedian local reading is 1,690 pCi/L.
E. coliAbove the limit in 1 of 3 local samples; too few to quote a rate.

Contamination sources on record in Yadkin County

NC DEQ records 153 leaking underground storage tank sites in Yadkin County, among 153 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.

153: 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

Manganese: Oxidizing filter (greensand, birm) whole-house; Water softener (low levels); Point-of-use reverse osmosis
Iron: Oxidizing filter whole-house; Water softener (low levels); Aeration plus filtration
Chloride: Point-of-use reverse osmosis; Distillation

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Common questions

Is there arsenic in well water in Yadkin County?

Arsenic was detected in 50% of 2 public well samples in Yadkin 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 Yadkin County?

The median radon level across 3 public samples in Yadkin County was 1,690 pCi/L, with a high of 3,960 pCi/L. New Hampshire recommends treatment above 2,000 pCi/L.

How often should I test a private well in Yadkin 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: 18 samples in Yadkin 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 Yadkin County, up to 329 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: 153 regulated sites located in Yadkin 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.