Well Testing

Please click here to read an important notice regarding our Well Test Program.

Testing your water is easy. Choose the way that’s right for you!

Raritan Headwaters offers testing year round at our Flemington and Bedminster offices as well as on designated days within communities throughout the watershed through our Community Well Testing Program. Residents on public water may also take advantage of our discounted pricing to test their water for lead and copper. Follow one of the links below to find out more.

Participate in a Community Well Testing event in your town.

RHA partners with municipalities throughout the region each spring and fall to offer residents the opportunity to test their well water. This program makes the important practice of regular well testing even easier and more convenient for residents.

Learn More

Pick up a testing kit at a Raritan Headwaters office.

Well test kits are available throughout the year at both our South Branch Flemington office and our Fairview Farm Bedminster office. Explore our menu of testing options below, then order a kit online, or request a kit by calling our well test office at 908-234-1852 ext. 401.

Order Kit

On public water? Test for lead and copper.

Public water purveyors test regularly for a variety of contaminants. However, their responsibility for water quality ends at your property line. Since lead and copper contamination often occur as the water travels through pipes in the home, it’s important to test your water at the tap, especially if your house was built before 1986.

Order Kit

Test Your Well Once a Year.

80% of the households in our region depend upon private wells for drinking water. The US Environmental Protection Agency recommends that household water be tested once a year to ensure the well is free from harmful bacteria and nitrates. Testing can be expensive, but RHA has established a program that provides residents of the Raritan Headwaters region water tests by a state-certified lab at reasonable rates. Information is not shared with any party other than the homeowner and results data can be used to assess groundwater quality in our area. Local Health Departments, the Environmental Protection Agency and the Center for Disease Control all recommend that private well owners test their drinking water annually for bacteria, nitrates, and any other contaminants that are known to be of local concern. “Like annual preventative health screenings, an annual well test for bacteria and nitrates is an important part of maintaining good health.” -Mara Tippett, well test manager for RHA.

You cannot see, smell or taste common well water contaminants. If a test finds contamination, there are measures that can be taken to correct it.

Well Testing Menu

Test	Fee	Reasons to Test	Possible Sources
Basic: Total Coliform & Fecal Confirmation, Nitrates	$60	Test every year. Cloudy water and/or recurrent gastrointestinal complaints from people drinking water. High levels of nitrates are harmful to infants and pregnant women	Cracks in well casing, faulty seal or seepage near well — septic system problems — stormwater runoff — seepage from fertilized land
Iron	$15	Discoloration of laundry or plumbing fixtures, rust stains and/or bitter or metallic taste	Naturally occurring deposits — industrial wastes
Manganese	$15	Discoloration of laundry or plumbing fixtures, rust stains and/or bitter or metallic taste	Naturally occurring deposits — industrial wastes
Lead	$25	Harmful to pregnant women and children. Can cause physical or mental development problems in infants or children and kidney problems or high blood pressure in adults	Corrosion of household pipes, fittings and/or solder (soft water may be more corrosive than hard water)
Arsenic	$35	Can cause increased risk of cancers, gastrointestinal ailments, diabetes and cardiovascular impacts	Naturally occurring deposits — wood preservatives
Volatile Organics (62 chemicals)	$95	High levels can cause liver, nervous system disorders, irregular heartbeat, high blood pressure, anemia and cancer	Underground storage tanks — Gas stations — landfills — hazardous waste sites — septic systems
Pesticides (18 chemicals)	$135	High levels can cause birth defects, cancer and damage to the nervous system	Runoff from farms, golf courses and/or residential areas
Radon	$50	Can be ingested or inhaled as gases are released from the water into the air. Exposure to radon in drinking water can lead to lung cancer	Naturally occurring, produced by the breakdown of uranium in soil, rock and water. Can enter the home through well water
Gross Alpha	$80	Test at least once. Gross Alpha is a screen for uranium and radium. Can be ingested, or inhaled as gases that are released from the water into the air. Exposure to gross alpha emitters in drinking water can lead to lung cancer	Erosion of natural deposits of minerals that are radioactive — may emit alpha radiation, which can enter the home through well water

Please see below for additional information regarding drinking water in NJ.

Resources for Private Well Owners

Maintaining your home well and regular water testing are important for ensuring a safe water supply. Here you’ll find some useful information to help you learn more about taking care of your private well. In addition, the NJ Department of Environmental Protection has provided this fact sheet for Private Well owners. Wells need regular maintenance just like your car does. Click here for more information on caring for your home drinking water system. Arsenic is a naturally occurring contaminant found in well water throughout the watershed. For more information on arsenic in drinking water, click here to visit our Arsenic Toolkit page.

Information on Drinking Water Contaminants

Water is naturally filtered by the soil as it flows from the surface to the aquifers below us. It flows through fractures in the bedrock to our wells, supplying us with clean potable water. Contaminants, however may not always be removed before they reach your well. There are also naturally occurring contaminants such as arsenic and uranium that may be picked up by the water as it flows through the ground. Regular testing is important to identify contamination when it occurs. Below you’ll find information on common water pollutants including treatment options if they are detected in your well. Click on each one to learn more.

Coliform bacteria and E. coli

Nitrates

Arsenic- For more information and resources related to arsenic in drinking water, please visit our Arsenic Toolkit page.

Lead– For more information and resources related to lead in drinking water, please visit our Lead Toolkit page.

Gross Alpha (uranium and radium)

Radon (in Water)

Volatile Organic Compounds

Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS)

PFAS in drinking water

The Private Well Testing Act: Selling a Home in NJ

In 2002, NJ adopted regulations requiring that private wells under transfer of ownership must be tested for select contaminants and the results be shared with the buyer of the property. Under the law, wells must be sampled by a third party, usually a laboratory employee or field sampler sent out to the property to collect the water from the tap. The Raritan Headwaters Well Testing Program cannot fulfill obligations for real estate transaction testing due to this requirement. When residents participate in our program, they draw the water themselves. For more information on The Private Well Testing Act, click here. Data collected by the NJ Department of Environmental Protection from testing required by the Private Well Testing Act may be found at this link.