State Well Water Guide
Utah Private Well Water Guide
Only about 12% of Utahns rely on private wells — the state's population is heavily concentrated in the Wasatch Front metropolitan areas served by municipal water. Private well users are primarily in rural agricultural communities in the Uintah Basin, Cache Valley, and remote desert communities. Utah's geology creates specific risks: naturally occurring arsenic from volcanic geology in many parts of the state, uranium from the Colorado Plateau's extensive uranium deposits, and fluoride in some basin-fill aquifer systems. The Utah Division of Water Quality regulates well construction.
Testing Guidance
Utah DWQ recommends annual testing for coliform bacteria and nitrates. All well owners should test for arsenic given Utah's documented volcanic arsenic problem. Uintah Basin well owners should test for uranium and petroleum hydrocarbons from the region's oil and gas history. Cache Valley agricultural area well owners should test for nitrates from dairy farming.
What to Test For in Utah
Total coliform bacteria and E. coli — annual minimum
Arsenic — widespread natural concern from volcanic geology statewide
Uranium — Colorado Plateau area wells; San Juan, Grand, Emery, Carbon counties
Fluoride — basin-fill aquifer wells in some Utah valleys
Nitrates — Cache Valley dairy farming area and agricultural communities
Total petroleum hydrocarbons — Uintah Basin oil and gas producing area wells
Iron and manganese — basin-fill aquifer wells throughout the state
PFAS — near Hill AFB (Davis County) and Dugway Proving Ground
Common Contamination Risks in Utah
Arsenic from volcanic geology — Utah's extensive volcanic history has left arsenic-bearing minerals throughout the state's geology; elevated arsenic is the most widespread natural water quality concern for Utah private wells
Uranium from the Colorado Plateau — Utah was a major 20th-century uranium mining state; natural uranium in groundwater is elevated in many southeastern Utah wells
PFAS from Hill AFB — Hill Air Force Base is one of the largest Air Force installations in the nation and a documented PFAS source
Fluoride in basin-fill aquifers — some Utah valley aquifers have naturally elevated fluoride above the 4 mg/L MCL
Oil and gas contamination in the Uintah Basin — one of the most active oil and gas producing regions in the Mountain West
Contaminant Guides Relevant to UT Wells
PFAS
Synthetic Chemicals
EPA limit: 4 ppt
Lead
Heavy Metals
EPA limit: 15 ppb (action level)
Nitrates
Agricultural Chemicals
EPA limit: 10 mg/L
DBPs
Disinfection Byproducts
EPA limit: 80 µg/L (TTHMs) / 60 µg/L (HAA5)
Arsenic
Heavy Metals
EPA limit: 10 ppb
Hard Water
Minerals
EPA limit: No federal limit
Chlorine
Disinfection Chemicals
EPA limit: 4 mg/L (MRDL)
Microplastics
Emerging Contaminants
EPA limit: No federal limit
Bacteria
Microbial Contamination
EPA limit: Zero E. coli / < 1 coliform per 100 mL
Fluoride
Minerals
EPA limit: 4 mg/L (MCL) / 2 mg/L (Secondary MCL)
Chromium-6
Heavy Metals
EPA limit: 100 ppb (total chromium)
Copper
Heavy Metals
EPA limit: 1.3 mg/L (action level)
Radon
Radioactive Contaminants
EPA limit: No finalized MCL
Iron & Manganese
Minerals
EPA limit: 0.3 mg/L iron / 0.05 mg/L manganese (aesthetic SMCLs)
Atrazine
Agricultural Chemicals
EPA limit: 3 ppb (0.003 mg/L)
Uranium
Radioactive Contaminants
EPA limit: 30 µg/L (30 ppb)
Perchlorate
Industrial Chemicals
EPA limit: 0.056 mg/L (56 ppb)
VOCs
Industrial Chemicals
EPA limit: Varies by compound: benzene 5 ppb; TCE 5 ppb; PCE 5 ppb; vinyl chloride 2 ppb
Radium
Radioactive Contaminants
EPA limit: 5 pCi/L (combined Ra-226 + Ra-228)
Crypto & Giardia
Microbial Contamination
EPA limit: Zero (treatment technique standard)
Hydrogen Sulfide
Naturally Occurring Compounds
EPA limit: No MCL; Secondary MCL (aesthetic) of 0.05 mg/L
Selenium
Minerals
EPA limit: 50 ppb (0.05 mg/L)
Cadmium
Heavy Metals
EPA limit: 5 ppb (0.005 mg/L)
Mercury
Heavy Metals
EPA limit: 2 ppb (0.002 mg/L)
Barium
Heavy Metals
EPA limit: 2 mg/L
Find a Certified Lab in Utah
Use the Utah state-certified laboratory program to find accredited labs for private well testing. Always verify current certification before submitting samples.
UT Certified Lab Directory ↗Utah Well Water FAQs
Related Pages
Data Sources & Provenance
All data on this page is sourced from official U.S. government or public datasets.
Quick Reference
State program
UT Certified Labs ↗EPA guidance
EPA Private Wells Program ↗State lab directory
UT Certified Labs ↗Minimum Annual Tests
Plus state-specific contaminants listed above
Other State Guides