For Well Owners…

For Well Owners:

When water is provided by a private well, periodic testing of its water is recommended but not mandated. Owners of private wells should use only laboratories certified by the California Department of Heath Services to conduct an analysis. Private wells fall outside federal and state regulation because they are on private land and not covered by the SDWA. They also are not subject to the same periodic testing and monitoring requirements as public water systems. There are more than 600,000 private wells in California.

Experts recommend having private well water tested at least once a year for coliform bacteria.

Experts recommend having private well water tested at least once a year for coliform bacteria. Shallow wells along rivers and wells built without proper sanitary seals are especially susceptible to bacterial contamination from surface water entry.