Start With a Lab Test
Store test strips and free "water analyses" from equipment sellers aren't the same as a certified lab result. In New York, use a lab certified under the state Department of Health's ELAP program. A local well pro can take the sample correctly and send it in, or you can collect one yourself following the lab's instructions.
What's Worth Testing For
| Test | Why it matters here |
|---|---|
| Total coliform / E. coli bacteria | The basic safety test. Recommended yearly, and after flooding, well work, or any change in taste or clarity. |
| Nitrate / nitrite | Worth checking near farm fields, horse properties and septic systems. Especially important with infants in the home. |
| Iron and manganese | Cause orange or black staining and metallic taste. Common enough in parts of Orange County to be worth checking. |
| Hardness and pH | Scale on fixtures and water heaters, or corrosive water that can pull metals out of plumbing. |
| Sodium and chloride | Road salt can reach wells near heavily salted roads and driveways. |
| Lead, arsenic, radon, uranium | Can't be seen or tasted. Ask about them, especially in older homes and wells drilled into granite-type bedrock. |
Matching Treatment to the Results
Bacteria
Find and fix the cause first (a cracked cap, poor grading, an old shallow well), then shock-chlorinate and retest. UV disinfection is common for ongoing protection.
Iron, manganese & odor
Oxidizing filters, air-injection systems or chlorination with filtration, depending on levels and the type of iron. Sulfur (rotten-egg) odor has its own fixes.
Hardness & sediment
Water softeners for scale, sediment filters for grit, and acid neutralizers for low-pH water.
Questions
How often should I test my well water?
A common recommendation is a bacteria test every year, plus a broader test every few years or when something changes, like taste, smell, color, a new baby, or work done on the well.
My water smells like rotten eggs. Is it the well?
Often it's hydrogen sulfide in the groundwater, but sometimes it comes only from the hot side, from the water heater's anode rod. Smell hot and cold water separately and tell the pro.
Do I need a softener?
Only if a hardness test shows it's worth it. Softening water that doesn't need it adds cost and salt use for no benefit.
Related Services
Well Pump Repair & Replacement
Diagnosis and replacement of submersible and jet pumps, control boxes, wiring and pressure switches.
Learn more →No Water? Emergency Well Service
Lost water? Start with a quick breaker and switch check, then call to have a pro diagnose the pump, tank or switch.
Learn more →Pressure Tanks & Switches
Waterlogged tank, rapid clicking, or pressure that pulses? Tank testing, recharging, switch and gauge replacement.
Learn more →New Well Drilling
New drilled wells for new homes, replacement wells, and wells that no longer keep up, plus pump and tank setup.
Learn more →Well Inspections for Home Sales
Flow and pressure testing, an equipment check, and lab water testing for buyers, sellers and lenders.
Learn more →Schedule a Water Test
Call or send the form with your town and what's happening.
- Tell us your town and whether you have any water at all
- Mention what you've noticed: clicking, sputtering, cloudy or smelly water
- A local well pro calls back and confirms availability and a typical price range
Request Well Service
Where This Service Is Available
Monroe, NY 10950, Chester, Warwick, Goshen, Harriman & Central Valley, Woodbury & Highland Mills, Washingtonville & Blooming Grove, Middletown, Newburgh, Florida, Pine Bush & Montgomery, plus Sugar Loaf, Greenwood Lake, Pine Island, Arden, Tuxedo, South Blooming Grove, Salisbury Mills, Cornwall and nearby communities. All service areas.