Wisconsin county well guide

Well Water in Langlade County, WI: Testing, Contractors and Rules

About 4,098 households in Langlade County, 53% of the county, rely on a private well. Nobody tests that water unless the owner does.

Labs within 40 milesLicensed contractors
53%of households on a private well
Share on wells, county vs state
Langlade County53%
Wisconsin average28%
31licensed contractors serve the county
3 mito the nearest certified lab, Langlade County
Nostatewide test required when a home is sold

Most homes in Langlade County are on a private well: about 4,098 households, 53% of the county. That makes Langlade County one of the places in Wisconsin where the water department is the homeowner.

Local rules for wells in Langlade County

Wisconsin’s well code (NR 812) applies in Langlade County: a licensed well driller files a notification with the DNR before drilling, and the driller must sample the new well for bacteria and nitrate before it goes into service. There is no required test at sale, but any paid well inspection for a real-estate deal must be done by a licensed driller or pump installer and must include bacteria, nitrate and arsenic.

At a glance

Water test for a new wellRequired

Under NR 812 the well driller must collect a bacteria (coliform) and nitrate sample from every new well and report the results to DNR; the pump installer collects a bacteria sample after installing or replacing a pump. A well notification form and fee are filed with DNR before drilling.

Water test when a home is soldNot required statewide

No statewide requirement at sale. If a well is inspected for a real-estate transaction, only a licensed well driller or pump installer may perform the paid inspection, and the inspection must include bacteria, nitrate and arsenic tests.

What the state recommends

DNR and DHS recommend testing for coliform bacteria and nitrate every year, arsenic and lead at least every 5 years (arsenic yearly in known areas of the Fox River Valley), fluoride once, and manganese, PFAS or radium where local conditions warrant. Test any time taste, color or odor changes or after flooding.

Free or low-cost testingAvailable

Some county health departments and UW Extension programs run subsidized nitrate and bacteria screening clinics; check the county health department. The DNR-certified lab list shows which labs accept homeowner samples.

Getting your water tested near Langlade County

6 certified labs within 40 miles serve Langlade County, starting with Langlade County in Antigo (about 3 miles from the county center). Each card below shows whether the lab takes homeowner samples and which tests it is certified for.

6 certified labs within 40 miles

Northern Lake Service, Inc.

WI certified

Crandon, WI · Commercial28.5 mi

Homeowner samples · Mail-in kits

  • Arsenic
  • Coliform Bacteria
  • Full Homeowner Panel
  • Hardness
  • Iron and Manganese
  • Lead
  • Nitrate / Nitrite
  • Pesticides
  • PFAS
  • Volatile Organic Compounds

Licensed well contractors serving Langlade County

30 licensed contractors serve Langlade County, including A-1 Septic/ Tom Arts Inc and Acro Plumbing Inc. Each profile carries the state license number and the date we checked it, and the filters below sort them by drilling, pump work or treatment.

Well depth and water chemistry

What comes up with the water depends on the aquifer. A first full panel tells you which of them apply to your well.

Typical well depth

Varies by location. Check the state well record search for logs of nearby wells.

Contaminants to test for
  • Coliform bacteria
  • Nitrate
  • Arsenic (Fox River Valley
  • St. Peter sandstone)
  • Manganese
  • Iron
  • Hardness
  • Strontium (eastern counties)
  • Radium (eastern deep sandstone aquifer)
  • PFAS (Marinette
  • Peshtigo
  • Dane County areas)
  • Lead

Neighboring counties: Forest County, Menominee County, Lincoln County, Shawano County.

What well work costs in Langlade County

Bacteria test (coliform and E. coli)$28 to $35published Wisconsin lab fees
Nitrate test$35 to $41published Wisconsin lab fees
Broad panel (metals and minerals)$450published Wisconsin lab fees
Well inspection$250 to $550$350 to $900 with water testing
Submersible pump replacement$1,000 to $2,500installed; deep wells cost more
Pressure tank replacement$800 to $1,500installed
One treatment unit$700 to $3,500softener, iron filter or UV, installed
Multi-stage whole-house treatment$2,500 to $10,000+several units or whole-house RO, installed
New well, complete$6,000 to $16,000typical 200 ft well with pump; drilling alone about $20 to $30 per foot; deeper wells cost more
Shock chlorination$80 to $200by a contractor; under $30 to do yourself

Wisconsin State Laboratory of Hygiene ($35 each, $450 homeowner package) and county labs (Marathon County: $28 bacteria, $41 nitrate, $61 for both). Free through WellTAP for eligible households. Installed costs are national 2026 ranges; local quotes vary with depth, access and materials. Sources, checked September 2026: Wisconsin State Laboratory of Hygiene prices, Marathon County water testing, HomeGuide cost guides, Angi: cost to shock a well.

Questions Langlade County well owners ask

How many homes in Langlade County are on a well?

About 4,098, or 53% of households, based on Census housing data and state well surveys. The share is highest outside the towns with public water.

Where is the closest certified lab to Langlade County?

Langlade County in Antigo, about 3 miles away. It accepts homeowner samples.

Do I need a permit to drill a well in Langlade County?

A well notification and fee must be filed with the Wisconsin DNR before drilling, and only a DNR-licensed well driller may drill it. Some counties add their own permit or setback review, so check with the county land conservation or zoning office.

What does a well test cost near Langlade County?

A bacteria and nitrate test runs $25 to $75 at most certified labs; a full panel with metals is $150 to $400. Several county health departments and the state lab of hygiene sell homeowner kits for bacteria and nitrate at low cost; ask the county about screening clinics.