Most water contaminants that can affect your health can’t be seen, smelled or tasted. The only way to know if your water has contaminants is to test it. Deciding which water test(s) to order depends on the source of your water. See the list of sources below for more information on testing.
The Vermont Department of Health Laboratory provides chemical, radiological and microbiological tests for public and private drinking water. Our laboratory is accredited by the National Environmental Laboratory Accreditation Program (NELAP) for drinking water testing.
We also offer testing for environmental water, such as swim water and irrigation water – see more information on the Environmental Testing page.
If you pay a bill for your water, or your landlord or housing association pays a bill for your water, your water comes from a public water supply and utility.
Under the federal Safe Drinking Water Act, all municipal and other public water supplies must be tested regularly for bacteria, nonorganic chemicals, naturally occurring radioactivity, and naturally occurring compounds. Vermont’s Water Supply Rule includes a list of contaminants and corresponding levels. The Drinking Water and Groundwater Protection Division at the Department of Environmental Conservation oversees the public water testing schedule and compliance.
If you have a concern about your public water supply, call the local number listed on your water bill or 800-823-6500 for the Drinking and Groundwater Protection Division of the Agency of Natural Resources. To download a copy of your public water supply’s test results go to the Consumer Confidence Report.
Your public water utility will know what the pipes are made of from their service line to your meter, but they don’t know what pipes you have inside your home. If you are on public water, it is recommended to test your water for lead and copper with a first draw test to find out if your pipes or fixtures are a source of lead or copper in your drinking water.
Private water supplies are wells or springs, you do not have a water bill if you use a well or spring.
I have a new well or spring, or am deepening my well
You are required to test your water before using it if you deepen an existing groundwater source or install a new one for drinking water, like a drilled well, a shallow well, a driven well point, or a spring.
State rules require testing once for:
- Total coliform/E. coli test (Kit A)
- Arsenic, chloride, fluoride, iron, manganese, nitrate, nitrite, sodium, uranium, pH and odor (Kit ID)
- Gross alpha radiation screening test (Kit RA)
- First Draw Lead (DC-Lead)
Learn more about testing your newly drilled well
I have an existing well or spring
If you have an existing well or spring, you are not required to test the water. However, wells and springs can become contaminated through various natural processes like degrading rock. These contaminants are rarely able to be seen, smelled or tasted in water. The only way to know if your drinking water has contaminants is to test it.
The Vermont Department of Health recommends the following testing schedule for wells or springs:
- Total coliform/E. coli test (Kit A): every year
- Inorganic chemical test (Kit C): every five years
- Gross alpha radiation screening test (Kit RA): every five years
Rental Property Owners - If your rental property is on a private well, you are required to provide safe drinking water by the Rental Housing Health Code. It is recommended that you test the water per the schedule below:
- Total coliform bacterial test (Kit A): every year
- Inorganic chemical test (Kit C): every five years
- Gross alpha radiation screening test (Kit RA): every five years
See the “Private Water Supplies” above for more information.
Learn more about private water testing
If your rental property has a public water supply, there are no requirements to test, however, you may want to test for lead and copper which can come from the home’s pipes. See “Public Water Supplies” above for more information.
Tenants/Renters - If you use a public water supply, your water bill may be paid by your landlord, and you probably won't receive your water utility’s annual Consumer Confidence Report. This report details the water supply testing details in your area. You can look up your town's Consumer Confidence Report here. For other questions, call your local water utility or 800-823-6500 for the Drinking and Groundwater Protection Division of the Agency of Natural Resources.
Learn more about public water testing
If your water comes from a private supply, such as a well or spring, you can ask your landlord to test it. The Vermont Rental Housing Health Code requires that rental water supplies be safe.
If you have unresolved concerns about the quality of your private water supply, contact your town health officer, who can take a sample and test it for bacteria, inorganic chemicals, and gross alpha radiation.
If your food or lodging business is on a public water supply (you receive a water bill), testing is done by your local water department. You should receive testing information and results in your annual Consumer Confidence Report. If you have any questions or concerns about your public water supply, call the local number listed on your water bill or call 800-823-6500 for the Drinking and Groundwater Protection Division of the Agency of Natural Resources.
If your food or lodging business has a private well or spring, you must test every year for Total Coliform and E. coli using a state certified lab to analyze the sample.
If you operate a farm or keep animals or livestock, protect your health and the health of the animals by following the recommendations based on your water supply (see the public and private water supply information above).
To test irrigation water, Kit AG is recommended. For more information on testing irrigation water:
- Visit the Lab’s Environmental Testing page
- Visit the Testing Bacteria in Environmental Water page
- View this fact sheet on testing irrigation water
Labs That Test Drinking Water
See the full list of laboratories certified for drinking water analysis
(For full functionality, please open this list in Adobe. Some links will not work if this list is opened in a browser.)
See the list of laboratories certified to test for radium in drinking water