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From the Field
Nobody checks a private well for you. Here is what to test, how often, and how to get a sample to a certified lab.
Short answer: In Georgia, the well owner is the one who has to test. Your county UGA Extension office can send a sample to the state lab.
You do. The Georgia Department of Public Health says private wells in Georgia are not under any regulatory authority, so it is up to the well owner to watch the water quality and make sure it is safe to drink. City water customers get reports from their utility. Well owners get nothing unless they send a sample in.
That is not as hard as it sounds. In Georgia the usual path is your county UGA Extension office, which sends samples to the University of Georgia's Agricultural and Environmental Services Laboratories. You can reach Extension at 1-800-ASK-UGA1 or through the county office listed on the UGA Extension website.
There is no single test that covers everything. Georgia DPH and UGA Extension split it into a few common ones:
The EPA gives a simple yearly list: total coliform bacteria, nitrates, total dissolved solids and pH. It also says to test more often if small children, older adults, or pregnant or nursing people live in the home. UGA Extension's wellhead guide agrees on a yearly check, with a focus on bacteria and nitrates.
The EPA says to test right away after any of these:
For mountain homes, add two more moments on your own list. If a cabin sat empty for weeks, test before you start drinking from it again. And if you buy a house with a well, test before closing. The plumbing inspection guide for buying a mountain home covers the plumbing side of that purchase.
Got results and not sure what they mean?
Text Ryan a photo of the lab report or the problem. He is a licensed Master Plumber and answers his own phone.
Call your county Extension office first. Offices differ on the bottles they hand out, drop-off days and how samples travel to the lab, and a bacteria sample usually has a short window before it must be delivered. Ask before you fill anything.
Here is what UGA Extension offices say about the sample itself:
The EPA also says to use only a laboratory that is certified to test drinking water. UGA's lab and your local health department are the usual places to start.
A lab report is a page of numbers and abbreviations. UGA Extension has a free online tool for this: the Drinking Water Interpretation and Recommendations Tool at aesl.ces.uga.edu/water/recommendations. You type in each result and it compares it with the federal drinking water standards, lists likely causes and health effects, and suggests fixes such as filters.
If something comes back high, do not panic and do not buy a filter from the first ad you see. Match the fix to the finding. A filter that handles iron does nothing for bacteria, and a softener does not remove arsenic. UGA's radon publication says home water treatment equipment is not regulated by federal or state law and suggests looking for certification from NSF International or the Water Quality Association. It also says to ask a water treatment professional questions before you buy costly equipment.
A lab test tells you what is in the water. It does not tell you why your pump kicks on every few seconds or why the pressure drops in the shower. Those are pump and pressure tank questions. If that is your problem, start with well pump short cycling or whether to repair or replace a well pump.
Rotten egg smell is a common mountain-well complaint, and it has its own causes. We cover it in sulfur smell in North Georgia well water. Orange stains in sinks are covered in orange stains in the sink, and cloudy or sandy water in cloudy or sandy well water.
Ryan Chastain is a licensed Master Plumber in Ellijay. He does not run lab tests, and he does not sell water testing. Send your sample to UGA Extension or another certified lab. Then, once you know what is in the water, Ryan can help with the plumbing side: whole-home filtration, water softeners and under-sink systems, plus well pumps and well pressure tanks.
He gives a free estimate, so you know the price before any work starts. And he prefers text, because cell service drops in the mountains and a text gets through when a call may not.
"They installed our whole-house water filtration system perfectly. Ryan went above and beyond by carefully drilling through our brick and even patching the hole with masonry cement. Who does that? His attention to detail and professionalism were top-notch."
Robert C., March 2025, Google review
No. Ryan does not do water testing. Send a sample to UGA Extension or another certified drinking water lab. After you have results, Ryan can talk through water treatment and well equipment.
Georgia DPH recommends a bacteria test every year and a chemical screening every 3 years. The EPA lists a yearly check for coliform, nitrates, total dissolved solids and pH. Test sooner after flooding, repairs or a change in how the water looks, smells or tastes.
Start with your county UGA Extension office, or call 1-800-ASK-UGA1. DPH also says its bacteria test is available through the county health department. Ask the office how to collect and deliver the sample before you fill a container.
It is a sample taken from a cold tap after the water has sat unused for at least 6 to 12 hours. Early morning before anyone uses water works well. Use the bottle or container the lab gives you.
A test can help, but sulfur smell has common causes that are easier to sort out first. Read the guide on sulfur smell in North Georgia well water, then call or text if it keeps coming back.
Call or text Ryan. Free estimate, and you know the price before any work starts.