Well Water Nerd

Well water in Jeff Davis County, Texas

In Jeff Davis County, none of 32 tested well samples exceeded the EPA limit for fluoride, based on public data from Texas Water Development Board Groundwater Database and USGS Water Quality Portal.

32 individual samples from 23 wells, 1969 to 2010. Data refreshed September 9, 2026.

TWDB samples an ambient monitoring network of wells on a rotation, so these describe aquifers, not a survey of homeowners' tests.

What individual samples found

Each row summarizes every public sample for that contaminant inside Jeff Davis 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.

ContaminantSamplesDetectedAbove limitMedianHighestLimit
Fluoride
1969 to 2008
32100%0%0.83.74 mg/L
EPA limit
Arsenic
1990 to 2003
1450%0%0.658.210 ug/L
EPA limit
Nitrate
1990 to 2003
14100%0%0.8151.6210 mg/L
EPA limit
Lead
1990 to 2003
140%0%0015 ug/L
EPA limit
Copper
1990 to 2003
1429%0%00.0071.3 mg/L
EPA limit
Sodium
1969 to 2008
32100%no limit2341320 mg/L
health guideline
Chloride
1969 to 2008
32100%no limit9.85580250 mg/L
nuisance level
Manganese
1990 to 2003
147%no limit06.9300 ug/L
health guideline
Iron
1990 to 2003
1436%no limit0322300 ug/L
nuisance level

Sampled fewer than 10 times, too few to summarize: Gross alpha (8), Uranium (3).

Get the free Jeff Davis County well report

One email with the numbers above, what they mean for a home in Jeff Davis County, exactly which tests to order, and what treatment fits the local profile. No spam, unsubscribe in one click.

What this means

Among contaminants with a federal limit, no tested sample in Jeff Davis County came back above it. That is reassuring, but sampling is uneven: wells that were never tested are not in this data.

Chloride is widespread in local groundwater. It is mainly a staining and taste problem, but high manganese also carries a health advisory for infants.

What to test for in Jeff Davis County

  • Volatile organic compounds (VOCs)8 leaking underground storage tank sites on record locally.
  • Coliform bacteriaRecommended for every private well, every year.
  • Gross alphaAbove the limit in 1 of 8 local samples; too few to quote a rate.
  • FluorideDetected in 100% of local samples.
  • ChlorideDetected in 100% of local samples.
  • NitrateRecommended for every private well, especially near farms or septic systems.

Contamination sources on record in Jeff Davis County

TCEQ records 8 leaking underground storage tank sites in Jeff Davis County, among 11 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.

8
leaking underground storage tank sitesGasoline and heating oil that leaked from tanks move through groundwater as benzene, MTBE and other volatile organic compounds.
3
lined landfills and transfer facilities

Treatment that fits the local profile

Fluoride
Point-of-use reverse osmosis; Activated alumina; Distillation
Chloride
Point-of-use reverse osmosis; Distillation

Get your Jeff Davis County water tested at home

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. Tell us what you need and we match you with a company that serves Jeff Davis County.

What are you worried about?

The test is free and there is no obligation. Your details go only to the company named above, and we log the time and address of this request.

Common questions

Is there arsenic in well water in Jeff Davis County?

Arsenic was detected in 50% of 14 public well samples in Jeff Davis 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 Jeff Davis 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

  • Texas Water Development Board Groundwater Database: 188 samples in Jeff Davis County. Water quality samples from the Texas Water Development Board Groundwater Database, collected by TWDB, groundwater conservation districts and cooperators. Retrieved September 9, 2026.
  • USGS Water Quality Portal: 3 samples in Jeff Davis 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.
  • TCEQ regulated sites: 11 regulated sites located in Jeff Davis County. Leaking petroleum storage tank sites, state Superfund sites and municipal solid waste landfills from the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality. 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.