Private Wells

Environmental Chemistry Program
The U.S. EPA does not regulate or provide standards for individual private wells. As a private well owner, you are responsible for the safety of your water. You should contact your local health department (see below) for the required and recommended testing and standards. At a minimum, well owners should have the following tests performed on an annual basis: Nitrate, pH, Total Dissolved Solids, and Total Coliforms/E.coli.
EPA Private Wells
CDC Private Wells
Private Well Class

Required Tests for Individual Wells

The table below lists the required tests for individual wells within the jurisdiction of each Local Utah Health Department and is for informational purposes only. Information from official local health department resources supersedes the information presented below.

Click on the map icon for a larger view of Utah Counties and Health Departments.

Utah Map of Counties and Health Departments
Health Department County Required Testing Links
Bear River Health Dept. Box Elder, Cache, Rich No required testing
Total Coliforms/E.coli (when requested)		 Bear River HD Homepage
Link to how to chlorinate your well/spring
Central Utah Health Dept. Juab, Millard, Piute, Sanpete, Sevier, Wayne No required testing
Coliform/E.coli (recommended)		 Central Utah HD Homepage
Davis County Health Dept. Davis Recommended testing only:
Antimony, Sb (MCL = 0.006 mg/L)
Arsenic, As (MCL = 0.01 mg/L)
Barium, Ba (MCL = 2.0 mg/L)
Beryllium, Be (MCL = 0.004 mg/L)
Cadmium, Cd (MCL = 0.005 mg/L)
Chromium, Cr (MCL = 0.1 mg/L)
Cyanide, Free CN (MCL = 0.2 mg/L)
Fluoride, F (MCL = 4.0 mg/L)
Mercury, Hg (MCL = 0.002 mg/L)
Nitrate (MCL = 10.0 mg/L)
Nitrite (MCL = 1.0 mg/L)
Selenium, Se (MCL = 0.05 mg/L)
Sulfate (MCL = 1000 mg/L)
Thallium, Tl (MCL = 0.002 mg/L)
Total Dissolved Solids, TDS (MCL = 2000)
Total Coliform/E.coli.
Additional EPA or CDC Recommendations:
pH
Total Hardness
Volatile Organics (VOCs)
Lead/Copper (depending on plumbing)
Pesticides (depending upon land use)		 Davis County HD Homepage
Salt Lake County Health Dept. Salt Lake Antimony, Sb (MCL = 0.006 mg/L)
Arsenic, As (MCL = 0.01 mg/L)
Barium, Ba (MCL = 2.0 mg/L)
Beryllium, Be (MCL = 0.004 mg/L)
Cadmium, Cd (MCL = 0.005 mg/L)
Chromium, Cr (MCL = 0.1 mg/L)
Cyanide, Free CN (MCL = 0.2 mg/L)
Fluoride, F (MCL = 4.0 mg/L)
Mercury, Hg (MCL = 0.002 mg/L)
Nickel, Ni
Nitrate (MCL = 10.0 mg/L)
Nitrite (MCL = 1.0 mg/L)
Selenium, Se (MCL = 0.05 mg/L)
Sodium, Na
Sulfate (MCL = 500 mg/L)
Thallium, Tl (MCL = 0.002 mg/L)
Total Dissolved Solids, TDS (MCL = 2000 mg/L)
Total Coliform		 Salt Lake County HD Homepage
San Juan Public Health San Juan San Juan Public Health Homepage
Southeast Utah Health Dept. Carbon, Emery, Grand Total Coliform/E.coli. (Recommended)
Total Dissolved Solids, TDS (Optional)		 Southeast Utah HD Homepage
Southwest Utah Health Dept. Beaver, Garfield, Iron, Kane, Washington Total Coliforms
Nitrate (MCL = 10 mg/L)
Nitrite (MCL = 1.0 mg/L)
Total Nitrate and Nitrite (MCL = 10.0 mg/L)		 Southwest Utah HD Homepage
Summit County Health Dept. Summit No required testing Summit County HD Homepage
Tooele County Health Dept. Tooele Ammonia
Arsenic, As
Barium, Ba
Cadmium, Cd
Chloride, Cl
Chromium, Cr
Fluoride, F
Lead, Pb
Mercury, Hg
Nitrate
Nitrite
pH
Selenium, Se
Silver, Ag
Sodium, Na
Sulfate
Total Dissolved Solids
Turbidity
Total Coliform/E.coli.		 Tooele County HD Homepage
TriCounty Health Dept. Daggett, Duchesne, Uintah Antimony, Sb (MCL = 0.006 mg/L)
Arsenic, As (MCL = 0.01 mg/L)
Barium, Ba (MCL = 2.0 mg/L)
Beryllium, Be (MCL = 0.004 mg/L)
Cadmium, Cd (MCL = 0.005 mg/L)
Chromium, Cr (MCL = 0.1 mg/L)
Copper, Cu (MCL = 1.3 mg/L)
Cyanide, Free CN (MCL = 0.2 mg/L)
Fluoride, F (MCL = 4.0 mg/L)
Lead, Pb (MCL = 0.015 mg/L)
Mercury, Hg (MCL = 0.002 mg/L)
Nickel, Ni (MCL = 0.1 mg/L)
Nitrate (MCL = 10.0 mg/L)
Nitrite (MCL = 1.0 mg/L)
Total Nitrate and Nitrite (MCL 10.0 mg/L)
Selenium, Se (MCL = 0.05 mg/L)
Sodium, Na (No MCL)
Sulfate (MCL = 1000 mg/L)
Thallium, Tl (MCL = 0.002 mg/L)
Total Dissolved Solids, TDS (MCL = 2000)
Turbidity (MCL = 5 NTU)
Total Coliform		 TriCounty HD Homepage
Utah County Health Dept. Utah Fluoride
Nitrate
Nitrite
Sulfate
Total Dissolved Solids
Turbidity
Metals: Ba, Cr, Na, As, Cd, Pb, Se, Ag
Mercury
Total Coliform		 Utah County HD Homepage
Wasatch County Health Dept. Wasatch No required testing Wasatch County HD Homepage
Weber-Morgan Health Dept. Weber, Morgan Antimony, Sb (MCL = 0.006 mg/L)
Arsenic, As (MCL = 0.01 mg/L)
Barium, Ba (MCL = 2.0 mg/L)
Beryllium, Be (MCL = 0.004 mg/L)
Cadmium, Cd (MCL = 0.005 mg/L)
Chromium, Cr (MCL = 0.1 mg/L)
Cyanide, Free CN (MCL = 0.2 mg/L)
Fluoride, F (MCL = 4.0 mg/L)
Mercury, Hg (MCL = 0.002 mg/L)
Nitrate (MCL = 10.0 mg/L)
Nitrite (MCL = 1.0 mg/L)
Total Nitrate and Nitrite (MCL 10.0 mg/L)
Selenium, Se (MCL = 0.05 mg/L)
Thallium, Tl (MCL = 0.002 mg/L)
Total Coliform/E.coli.		 Weber-Morgan HD Homepage