How to Test Your Drinking Water

You can order the Homeowner Testing Package from the Vermont Department of Health Laboratory or another certified drinking water lab. You can also order test kits for newly drilled wells and individual contaminants. 

How to order from the Health Department Lab

Order the Homeowner Testing Package through the Lab's online webstore or by calling 802-338-4724. This package includes:

• Bacteria (Kit A) $14 – test for bacteria every year
• Inorganic chemicals (Kit C) $100 – test every five years
• Gross alpha radiation (Kit RA) $45 – test every five years

If you divide this cost over five years, it equals $3.60 per month.

Order the Bundled Kit: Homeowner Testing Package

Do you have a new well or spring? Vermont law requires different steps for new groundwater sources for single-family residences. Learn more about new drilled well testing before ordering test kits.

Order the Bundled Kit: New Well or Spring Testing Package

You can also order tests for individual contaminants, such as lead, through the webstore's a la carte menu. 

Order a la carte

Your test kit will come with instructions on how to collect water samples. Follow the instructions closely to make sure the lab will accept your sample. Collect samples from the faucet you most often drink and cook from, usually your kitchen sink.

If you ordered the Homeowner Testing Package from the Health Department Lab, you will receive four plastic sample bottles:

• 1 medium (250-milliliter) bottle - do not use the water in your home for at least 8 hours before taking this sample. We recommend collecting the sample first thing in the morning before you use any water for the day.
• 1 small (100-milliliter) bottle - this bottle has a preservative in it, so do not rinse it out. We recommend sanitizing your faucet with rubbing alcohol before collecting this sample.
• 2 large (1-liter) bottles

Watch the video below for an example of how to collect your samples. The instructions for the test kit you ordered may be different, so be sure to follow the instructions that came with your kit.

Plan to drop off or ship your water samples the same day you collect them. Some samples may need to remain cold for testing. If you ordered tests through the Health Department Lab, you can get your samples to the Lab in three ways:

• Drop them off in person at the Health Department Lab.
  • The Lab's physical address is: 359 South Park Drive, Colchester VT.
  • Hours are Monday - Thursday, 7:45 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. and Fridays 7:45 a.m. - 3:30 p.m.
  • The Lab is closed on state holidays.
• Drop them off in person at an Office of Local Health.
  • Find a list of Local Health Offices that participate in the Drinking Water Drop-Off Program.
  • These offices accept samples Monday through Thursday except for state holidays and the day before a state holiday.
• Mail or ship your samples to the Lab
  • Make sure your shipment will get to the Lab within the timeframe in your sample instructions.
  • Mail samples to:
    • USPS: P.O. Box 1125, Burlington, VT 05402-1125
    • FedEx or UPS: 359 South Park Drive, Colchester, VT 05446

Learn more about preparing and dropping off samples

If you ordered tests through another certified drinking water lab, follow their instructions to return your samples. 

If you ordered from the Health Department Lab, your water test results will be emailed or mailed to you as soon as they are ready. You may get results at different times depending on the type of tests you ordered.

If you ordered the Bundled Kit: Homeowner Testing Package or the Bundled Kit: New Well Testing Package you will get four sample bottles and four sets of results.

• Bacteria results are typically sent within 1-2 business days.
• First draw lead results are typically sent within 3 weeks.
• Gross alpha results are typically sent within 2 weeks.
• Inorganic chemicals, including uranium, fluoride and nitrate results are sent within 2-4 weeks.

If you provided an email address, your results will be emailed to you as soon as they are ready. This means you could receive multiple emails. Your results will be mailed to you if that's what you requested or if you did not provide an email address. Mailed results are sent after all the tests are complete, which is about 3-4 weeks after the Lab receives your samples.

Questions about the tests you ordered or about an unaccepted sample? If you ordered from the Health Department Lab, call 802-338-4724 or 800-660-9997 (toll-free in Vermont). If you ordered kits from a different lab, contact them directly. 

Bacteria (Kit A)

You will see a result for both Total Coliform and E. coli in bacteria test results. If either Total Coliform or E. coli are detected, you have bacteria in your system and should disinfect your well or spring.

Inorganic Chemicals (Kit C or Kit ID for new wells)

This kit tests for multiple chemicals. If a chemical is at a level of concern, you will see "Above Threshold" written in the far-right column.  

See an example of inorganic chemical results

Gross Alpha Radiation (Kit RA)

Gross alpha radiation measures the radioactivity of water caused by naturally occurring elements like uranium and radium. Results under 5 picoCuries per liter (pCi/L) are not considered a health risk. Check the uranium level measured in Kit C if your gross alpha result is above 5 pCi/L. 

Questions about your results? Call the Private Drinking Water Program at 802-489-7339 or email [email protected].

Be sure to wait until you get all your test results back so you can fully understand your water quality and overall health risks. 

If you ordered the bundled testing packages, you could receive test results over several weeks. Some of the individual results need to be read with other results to fully understand what’s happening with your water quality.  

For example, if you ordered the Homeowner Testing Package from the Health Department Lab, you will receive two results for lead. The first result is a “first draw” and the second is a “flush." You will get the first draw result first, and the flush result will come up to 2 weeks later with the inorganic chemical results. Lead is detected more frequently in first draw samples than in flush water samples.

To fully understand the risks and best treatment options for gross alpha radiation, you will need to wait until you get the uranium level with the inorganic chemical results, which can be 1-2 weeks after you get the gross alpha radiation results. 

Use the table below to help you decide if you need to treat your water. Treating your water means lowering the levels of contaminants in your water, or removing them. 

Treat your water if any of your results are above the level listed in the middle column. If you ordered tests from the Health Department Lab, those results will be in bold. Learn more by clicking the name of each contaminant in the table below. 

If you install a treatment system, it is important to test your water again. Retesting your water for the contaminant (or contaminants) will make sure the treatment is working. You do not need to buy the bundled Homeowner Testing Package again. You can order individual tests. 

To retest your water for individual contaminants, you can order a la carte tests through the Health Department Lab’s online webstore. Individual tests range in price from $10 to $25. If you can't order online, call 802-338-4724 or 800-660-9997 (toll-free in Vermont).

You can use the Water Treatment Table to decide the best treatment for your water system based on which contaminants are in your water. Learn how to treat your water

Questions about treatment options? Call the Private Drinking Water program at 802-489-7339 or email [email protected].

Other concerns for your private drinking water system may be:

• Hydrogen Sulfide
• Parasites
• PFAS (including PFOA)
• Radon
• Organic Chemicals (volatile, synthetic and pesticides)

These contaminants are not part of the Health Department's recommended Homeowner Testing Package. However, you may want to test for these contaminants depending on the land use around your well or spring or other potential sources of contamination. Click on each contaminant above to learn more about the source, health risks, and testing and treatment options.