Well water testing in Chester County, Pennsylvania
Last verified: · 11 sources · What we couldn't verify
The Chester County Health Department no longer tests well water; it keeps a list of labs instead. Penn State's mail-in lab charges $60-$220 per package, and its testing data for Chester County shows coliform bacteria in 29% of samples, plus nitrate, lead and manganese problems.
USGS describes Chester County as a place where a large percentage of the population relies on wells for drinking water. Statewide, Penn State says there are over 1 million private wells serving 3.5 million Pennsylvanians, and only about half have ever been tested.[3][5]
Free and low-cost testing programs
Free private well testing through Penn State Extension (state-funded)
Free (with education requirement) · PA Department of Health (DEHE) with Penn State Extension
Cost: Free for eligible participants
The PA Department of Health says it partners with Penn State Extension's Drinking Water Program to offer free water testing for private well owners, funded by a CDC Environmental Health Capacity grant. In the 2025 program year, participants who attended a webinar or workshop received a free test for bacteria, nitrate, manganese, lead, copper, arsenic, sodium and barium. Five webinars were open statewide; in-person workshops were held in other counties (not Chester). Availability for the current year is not confirmed - contact DEHE.[8][9]
Contact: dehe@pa.gov, 717-787-3350
Bacteria test kits from PA DEP Southeast Regional Office
Kits available for purchase · PA Department of Environmental Protection
Cost: Price not listed
DEP says bacterial test kits can be purchased from its regional offices; the Southeast Regional Office serves Bucks, Chester, Delaware, Montgomery and Philadelphia counties.[7]
Contact: Southeast Regional Office: John Cairnes, 484-250-5106
Chester County Health Department
Referral only (no testing) · Chester County Health Department
Cost: n/a
The Chester County Health Department no longer provides well water testing; it maintains a list of testing labs on its website.[2][1]
Contact: 601 Westtown Road, Suite 295, West Chester, PA 19380-0990; 610-344-6225; cchd@chesco.org
Labs that serve the county
Brandywine Science Center, Inc. (BSC Labs)
Mail-in: not verifiedHomeowner samples: yes
204 Line Road, Kennett Square, PA
610-444-9850
Listed by the Chester County Health Department. Its own site addresses homeowners and recommends total coliform first, then lead and nitrate. Prices and mail-in policy not published on the pages we read - call first.[1][10]
H.O. Thompson Testing Lab
Mail-in: not verifiedHomeowner samples: not verified
104 Valley View Drive, Parkesburg, PA
610-593-5030
Listed by the Chester County Health Department. We could not verify services, prices or mail-in policy - call first.[1]
Penn State Agricultural Analytical Services Laboratory
Mail-in: yesHomeowner samples: yes
720 Tower Rd., University Park, PA 16802
814-863-0841
Accredited by PA DEP for drinking water analysis. Get a kit (cooler, shipping box, bottles, form) from a county Extension office, then send it by overnight mail with payment. Bacteria samples must arrive within 30 hours of sampling and no later than Thursday; no bacteria samples accepted on Fridays. Results generally in 10-14 business days.[5][6][11]
The county's lab list also includes labs in neighboring Berks, Bucks, Delaware, Lancaster, Lehigh and Montgomery counties. Pennsylvania certifies labs per test, so confirm the lab is accredited for each test you need (DEP publishes certified-lab lists).[1][7]
Local contaminants of concern
- Major concern Coliform bacteria / E. coli. Of 460 Chester County samples tested by Penn State's lab (Jan 2008 - Jun 2025), 135 (29.3%) had total coliform bacteria and 10 (2.2%) had E. coli.[4]
- Moderate concern Nitrate. 11 of 211 Penn State samples (5.2%) exceeded the 10 mg/L nitrate standard (median 3.5 mg/L). USGS found nitrate (and some pesticides) above drinking-water standards in some agricultural areas, and elevated nitrate in residential areas with on-site septic systems.[4][3]
- Moderate concern Lead and corrosive water. 9.2% of 228 first-draw samples exceeded 0.015 mg/L lead, and 83.3% of 228 samples failed the corrosivity index (corrosive water can leach lead and copper from plumbing). pH was outside 6.5-8.5 in 29.2% of 383 samples.[4]
- Moderate concern Manganese and iron. 14.8% of 229 samples exceeded 0.05 mg/L manganese and 14.6% of 233 exceeded 0.3 mg/L iron (aesthetic standards; cause staining and taste).[4]
- Moderate concern Radium, radon and gross alpha. USGS measured radionuclides (radium-226, -228, -224, radon-222) and gross alpha above established or proposed drinking-water standards in some geologic units, particularly quartzite and quartzite schists. Penn State's standard packages do not include radiological tests - ask a certified lab.[3][5]
- Lower concern Arsenic. 2 of 166 Penn State samples (1.2%) exceeded 0.01 mg/L. USGS found arsenic above standards in a few samples, most likely in shales and sandstones in the northern part of the county.[4][3]
- Local hot spots VOCs (e.g. TCE) and chloride. USGS found volatile organic compounds such as trichloroethylene above standards near suspected localized contamination sources, elevated chloride near salt storage areas and highways, and an apparent increase in chloride from 1980 to 2008.[3]
- Not verified PFAS. We did not find Chester County private-well PFAS data in the sources reviewed. Unverified.
A county rate can't tell you what's in your well. Only a test can. See what to test for.
Typical cost
| Test / item | Price |
|---|---|
| Penn State WD01 Standard (coliform, E. coli, pH, TDS)[5] | $60 |
| Penn State WD04 Agriculture/Septic (standard + nitrate)[5] | $70 |
| Penn State WD02 Aesthetics/Corrosivity[5] | $85 |
| Penn State WD03 Aesthetics/Corrosivity plus lead[5] | $125 |
| Penn State WD07 Trace (metals incl. arsenic, lead)[5] | $130 |
| Penn State WD08 Extensive[5] | $220 |
| Penn State single tests: bacteria $40; arsenic $30; lead (running) $25; nitrate $15[5] | $15-$40 |
| Local labs (Brandywine Science Center, H.O. Thompson) | Not published - call |
Prices are from the published lists cited, as of the last-verified date. Confirm before ordering.
How often to test
- PA DEP: test every year for total coliform bacteria, nitrates, total dissolved solids and pH; test for other contaminants if you suspect them.[7]
- Penn State: coliform bacteria annually; pH and TDS every three years; choose a package based on nearby land use (agriculture/septic, mining, gas drilling, industry).[5]
How to collect a sample
Steps for the Penn State mail-in kit (other labs have their own bottles and instructions):
- First-draw lead bottle (orange label, only for lead tests): collect first thing in the morning from your usual drinking-water faucet after water has sat at least six hours, before running any water.
- Bacteria bottle (green label): use an inside faucet, remove the aerator, run cold water about five minutes, then fill to the 100 mL line without touching the inside of the bottle or cap. Leave any pill or powder in the bottle.
- General bottle (yellow label): rinse three times with tap water, then fill to the top.
- Refrigerate, pack with fresh ice in the provided cooler, and ship overnight so it arrives within 30 hours of sampling and no later than Thursday.
Source[6][5]. General steps: How to test your well water.
After you get results
Penn State Extension and the PA Department of Health publish guidance on interpreting results; DEP compares results against Pennsylvania MCLs and suggests installing treatment for contaminants above those levels. BSC Labs recommends sending your report to at least three treatment companies to compare.[7][8][10]
What we couldn't verify
- Prices, homeowner acceptance and mail-in policy for Brandywine Science Center and H.O. Thompson Testing Lab.
- Whether the Penn State Extension free-testing program is running in the current year and whether Chester County residents can join (2025 included statewide webinars).
- PFAS occurrence in Chester County private wells.
- Price of DEP regional office bacteria kits.
Sources
- Chester County Health Department: Well Water Testing Labs in Chester County
- Schuylkill Township, PA: Well Water Testing
- U.S. Geological Survey: Groundwater-Quality Monitoring Program in Chester County, Pennsylvania, 1980-2008 (SIR 2010-5087)
- Penn State Agricultural Analytical Services Lab: Summary of Drinking Water Samples - Chester County (1/18/2008 - 6/9/2025, 490 samples)
- Penn State Agricultural Analytical Services Lab: Drinking Water Testing (packages, fees, kits)
- Penn State Agricultural Analytical Services Lab: How to Collect a Water Sample
- PA Department of Environmental Protection: Private Wells: Water Testing
- PA Department of Health: Well Water
- Penn State Extension: Extension Private Water Supply Education and Water Testing in 2025
- BSC Labs (Brandywine Science Center): Testing Your Water
- Penn State Agricultural Analytical Services Lab: Drinking Water Sample Submission Form (PDF)
All sources accessed on or before 2026-10-25.