West Virginia well water by county: arsenic and nitrate
Modelled arsenic and nitrate for private-well users in every West Virginia county, what to test for, and where to find a certified lab. Private wells aren’t covered by the Safe Drinking Water Act.
All 55 counties
- Kanawha CountyWell users 18,400Arsenic about 3 in 100Nitrate 0.1 mg/L
- Mingo CountyWell users 17,900Arsenic about 2 in 100Nitrate 0.0 mg/L
- Berkeley CountyWell users 17,700Arsenic about 2 in 100Nitrate 1.9 mg/L
- Hampshire CountyWell users 15,200Arsenic about 2 in 100Nitrate 0.0 mg/L
- Mercer CountyWell users 14,700Arsenic about 2 in 100Nitrate 0.1 mg/L
- Jefferson CountyWell users 14,500Arsenic about 2 in 100Nitrate 5.2 mg/L
- Jackson CountyWell users 13,700Arsenic about 3 in 100Nitrate 0.0 mg/L
- Boone CountyWell users 13,400Arsenic about 2 in 100Nitrate 0.0 mg/L
- Wayne CountyWell users 12,900Arsenic about 2 in 100Nitrate 0.0 mg/L
- Preston CountyWell users 12,700Arsenic about 2 in 100Nitrate 0.1 mg/L
- Lincoln CountyWell users 12,600Arsenic about 3 in 100Nitrate 0.0 mg/L
- Greenbrier CountyWell users 12,000Arsenic about 2 in 100Nitrate 0.2 mg/L
- Morgan CountyWell users 11,300Arsenic about 4 in 100Nitrate 0.0 mg/L
- Wyoming CountyWell users 10,600Arsenic about 2 in 100Nitrate 0.0 mg/L
- Logan CountyWell users 10,100Arsenic about 2 in 100Nitrate 0.0 mg/L
- Putnam CountyWell users 9,500Arsenic about 3 in 100Nitrate 0.1 mg/L
- Cabell CountyWell users 9,100Arsenic about 3 in 100Nitrate 0.1 mg/L
- Mineral CountyWell users 9,000Arsenic about 2 in 100Nitrate 0.1 mg/L
- Roane CountyWell users 8,800Arsenic about 3 in 100Nitrate 0.0 mg/L
- Wood CountyWell users 8,200Arsenic about 3 in 100Nitrate 0.1 mg/L
- Summers CountyWell users 8,100Arsenic about 3 in 100Nitrate 0.0 mg/L
- McDowell CountyWell users 7,900Arsenic about 2 in 100Nitrate 0.0 mg/L
- Nicholas CountyWell users 7,800Arsenic about 2 in 100Nitrate 0.1 mg/L
- Fayette CountyWell users 7,700Arsenic about 3 in 100Nitrate 0.0 mg/L
- Harrison CountyWell users 7,700Arsenic about 3 in 100Nitrate 0.1 mg/L
- Hardy CountyWell users 7,400Arsenic about 2 in 100Nitrate 0.1 mg/L
- Braxton CountyWell users 7,300Arsenic about 2 in 100Nitrate 0.0 mg/L
- Randolph CountyWell users 7,200Arsenic about 2 in 100Nitrate 0.1 mg/L
- Upshur CountyWell users 7,000Arsenic about 2 in 100Nitrate 0.1 mg/L
- Lewis CountyWell users 6,900Arsenic about 2 in 100Nitrate 0.0 mg/L
- Mason CountyWell users 6,800Arsenic about 3 in 100Nitrate 0.2 mg/L
- Monroe CountyWell users 6,700Arsenic about 3 in 100Nitrate 0.2 mg/L
- Doddridge CountyWell users 6,600Arsenic about 3 in 100Nitrate 0.0 mg/L
- Gilmer CountyWell users 6,400Arsenic about 3 in 100Nitrate 0.0 mg/L
- Clay CountyWell users 6,100Arsenic about 2 in 100Nitrate 0.0 mg/L
- Wetzel CountyWell users 5,500Arsenic about 3 in 100Nitrate 0.0 mg/L
- Ritchie CountyWell users 5,300Arsenic about 3 in 100Nitrate 0.0 mg/L
- Pocahontas CountyWell users 5,000Arsenic about 2 in 100Nitrate 0.0 mg/L
- Raleigh CountyWell users 5,000Arsenic about 2 in 100Nitrate 0.1 mg/L
- Calhoun CountyWell users 4,900Arsenic about 3 in 100Nitrate 0.0 mg/L
- Monongalia CountyWell users 4,300Arsenic about 3 in 100Nitrate 0.1 mg/L
- Tyler CountyWell users 4,300Arsenic about 3 in 100Nitrate 0.1 mg/L
- Barbour CountyWell users 4,300Arsenic about 3 in 100Nitrate 0.1 mg/L
- Marshall CountyWell users 4,100Arsenic about 3 in 100Nitrate 0.1 mg/L
- Webster CountyWell users 3,300Arsenic about 1 in 100Nitrate 0.0 mg/L
- Wirt CountyWell users 3,100Arsenic about 3 in 100Nitrate 0.0 mg/L
- Hancock CountyWell users 3,000Arsenic about 4 in 100Nitrate 0.2 mg/L
- Pendleton CountyWell users 2,800Arsenic about 2 in 100Nitrate 0.1 mg/L
- Marion CountyWell users 2,700Arsenic about 3 in 100Nitrate 0.1 mg/L
- Taylor CountyWell users 2,500Arsenic about 3 in 100Nitrate 0.1 mg/L
- Pleasants CountyWell users 2,400Arsenic about 3 in 100Nitrate 0.0 mg/L
- Grant CountyWell users 2,300Arsenic about 2 in 100Nitrate 0.0 mg/L
- Brooke CountyWell users 2,200Arsenic about 3 in 100Nitrate 0.3 mg/L
- Ohio CountyWell users 2,000Arsenic about 2 in 100Nitrate 0.6 mg/L
- Tucker CountyWell users 1,700Arsenic about 2 in 100Nitrate 0.0 mg/L
Each mark = 1 in 100 well users the model places above 10 µg/L arsenic (scale 0–10)10 mg/L nitrate: the federal limit (MCL) for public systems
- These figures describe the area, not your well. Only a lab test shows what’s in your water.
- CDC says the Well Water Index figures “do not describe risk to individual wells.” (CDC Tracking Network)
- The arsenic model is better at spotting low-arsenic areas than at confirming high ones.
- Well-user counts are 2010 USGS estimates; tract values are averages over each census tract.
- Total coliform bacteriaEvery year
- NitrateEvery year
- Total dissolved solidsEvery year
- pHEvery year
- ArsenicAsk your local health department
EPA: Private Drinking Water Wells · CDC: Guidelines for Testing Well Water
Use a state-certified lab
West Virginia Department of Health lists the laboratories certified to test drinking water in West Virginia.
Screening tells you if something is worth a closer look
A lab result is the number you can act on.
As an Amazon Associate, PurityMap earns from qualifying purchases. Affiliate disclosure
Lab-certified results
ETR Labs Basic Water Quality Test Kit
ETR Laboratories
50+ substances, including lead, copper, arsenic, nitrate, hardness and coliform bacteria
- Analyzed by Environmental Testing and Research Laboratories (ETR Labs), Leominster, MA · ISO/IEC 17025:2017, ANAB certificate AT-2638
- Turnaround: 2–4 business days after the lab receives it
What it can't tell you: It does not test PFAS, and not every result on the panel falls under the lab's accredited scope.
Screening: quick check, not lab-grade
Watersafe Drinking Water Test Kit
Silver Lake Research
Lead, bacteria, nitrate, copper, iron, chlorine, hardness and pH
- Turnaround: Minutes; the bacteria test can take up to 48 hours
What it can't tell you: Each test gives a yes/no or a rough range, not a lab number, and it cannot detect PFAS or arsenic.
A mail-in kit’s lab is accredited (ISO/IEC 17025) but may not be certified by your state. For a home sale, a loan, or a health-department follow-up, use a state-certified lab.
West Virginia well water
Sources: CDC Well Water Index (2024) · USGS arsenic and nitrate models · USGS domestic well populations · EPA and CDC testing guidance. Data last updated 2026-10-08. All sources →
How many people use private wells in West Virginia?
About 430,800 people across 55 West Virginia counties, by the USGS 2010 estimate. USGS models place about 10,700 of them in areas where wells are likely to be above the 10 µg/L arsenic limit. These are area estimates, not well results.
Are private wells regulated in West Virginia?
The quality and safety of drinking water from private domestic wells are not regulated by the Federal Government under the Safe Drinking Water Act nor by most state governments and laws. (EPA) Testing and treatment are the owner's responsibility.
Where can I get my well tested in West Virginia?
West Virginia Department of Health keeps the list of laboratories certified to test drinking water in West Virginia. Only use laboratories that are certified to do drinking water testing. (EPA)