Many Americans receive their drinking water from private wells which are not regulated by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Regular maintenance of your well is required to ensure continued safety of your water and to monitor for the presence of any contaminants.
The Public Health Water Laboratory offers a variety of tests for homeowners with private wells.
Public Health Water Laboratory
A water test kit may be obtained from the Walworth County Health and Human Services reception desk Monday through Friday from 8:00 am – 4:30 pm. Homeowners are responsible for collecting their own water samples and for returning samples during open laboratory hours (listed below). Samples may be collected from any faucet supplied with cold water.
Certified Water Tests
The following certified tests are available:
- Bacteria (Coliform and E. coli)
- Nitrate
- Arsenic
- Lead
Water Laboratory Hours
| Monday | Tuesday | Wednesday | Thursday | Every 3rd Friday of the Month
|
|---|
| 8:00 am – 4:00 pm | 8:00 am – 5:00 pm | 8:00 am – 4:00 pm | 8:00 am – Noon | 8:00 am – 3:00 pm |
The Water Laboratory is closed on the following days:
- April 6 - 7, 2023
- May 29, 2023
- July 4, 2023
- September 4, 2023
- November 22-24, 2023
- December 18, 2023 - January 14, 2024
Water Sample Rejection
Water samples will be rejected if:
- Samples are in an unapproved, dirty, or damaged container.
- Nitrate samples are not received on ice.
- Samples cannot be analyzed within 30 hours of collection for bacteria or 48 hours for nitrates.
- Samples do not contain the required amount of water.
- Samples have been frozen.
Walworth County Water Quality Data
View Water Quality Information for Walworth County.