Testing Your Well Water

With appropriate monitoring and treatment, private wells can be a safe source of drinking water

About 42% of Nova Scotians get their drinking water from  private wells , which tend to be either shallow dug wells in soils/sediment or deep drilled wells in bedrock aquifers.

As shown in the map below, private wells are located throughout Nova Scotia, with the greatest concentration in suburban areas outside of the province's cities and along the coast.

You need to test your well to make sure it's safe for you and your family to drink. Check out our  infographic  on private well water safety.

Well water chemistry can vary seasonally and over time, and so it's important to routinely test your water to understand the quality of your water supply. Routine testing can also show you whether water treatment is needed, or whether a water treatment system is working as intended.

Another reason to routinely test your water is that acceptable limits for various water quality parameters are continuously being reviewed by Health Canada and may be lowered.

In Nova Scotia there are several naturally occurring contaminants, such as  arsenic ,  uranium ,  manganese , and  fluoride  that may be present in your well water. The distribution of these contaminants is controlled by factors such as the bedrock type.

Well water contaminants related to human activities can include nitrate, pesticides, bacteria, viruses, lead and road salt.

Testing your well water is critical to understanding whether your drinking water is safe.

 According to a review of testing rates in Nova Scotia , few private well owners test their water according to the Province's recommendation of every six months for bacteria and every two years for chemical quality.

Many well owners have never tested their well water quality for chemical or bacteriological quality.

Consult the Province's  water well testing webpage  for detailed instructions on testing your water well. A summary of testing instructions is provided below.

For assistance with interpreting your well water quality results, you can consult the Province's water quality interpretation tool:

The Province's 'Drop on Water' factsheets also provide helpful information on different water quality parameters, such as bacteria and chemicals, that may be present in well water, as well as general information to help homeowners protect their drinking water supplies and their health.

If you are having trouble understanding your well water quality results, you can visit or call your local Nova Scotia Environment and Climate Change Office.

Phone: 902-424-2547

Toll Free: 1-877-9ENVIRO (1-877-936-8476)

Fax: 902-424-0501

E-mail:  ice@novascotia.ca 

"The best way to protect yourself and your family from exposure to bacteria and chemicals is to test your well water regularly and treat it when needed.”-Dr. Robert Strang, Nova Scotia Chief Medical Officer of Health