Environmental Monitoring, Inc.
VA certified
- Arsenic
- Coliform Bacteria
- Iron and Manganese
- Lead
- Nitrate / Nitrite
Virginia county well guide
Well Water in Dickenson County, VA: Testing, Contractors and Rules
About 605 households in Dickenson County, 10% of the county, rely on a private well. Nobody tests that water unless the owner does.
of households on a private well
Share on wells, county vs state
0licensed contractors serve the county
20 mito the nearest certified lab, Environmental Monitoring, Inc.
Nostatewide test required when a home is sold
Roughly 10% of Dickenson County households, about 605, get their water from a private well rather than a utility. They are concentrated in the rural parts of the county, and they are on their own for testing.
Local rules for wells in Dickenson County
Private wells in Dickenson County follow Virginia's statewide rules, administered by Virginia Department of Health, Office of Environmental Health Services, through the local health departments. A water test is required when a new well is completed. There is no statewide test requirement when a home is sold, though lenders often ask for one. The cards below show the details and the official sources.
At a glance
Water test for a new wellRequired
Yes. A private well needs a construction permit from the local health department before drilling, must be built by a DPOR-licensed contractor with the Water Well/Pump specialty to the Private Well Regulations (grouted casing, setbacks of 50 ft from septic tanks and 100 ft from drainfields), and after completion the health department inspects it and requires a bacteriological sample that passes before the well is placed in service. The inspection statement is your record of the well.
Water test when a home is soldNot required statewide
No statewide requirement. The Residential Property Disclosure Act does not require a water test. FHA, VA and USDA loans normally require a bacteria, nitrate and lead sample from a certified lab before closing, and buyers can ask the local health department for the well's construction permit and inspection file.
What the state recommends
The Virginia Department of Health and the Virginia Household Water Quality Program recommend a coliform bacteria test every year and nitrate at least every three years, with a broader first test for hardness, iron, manganese, pH, sodium, copper, lead, arsenic and fluoride. Add radon and uranium in the Piedmont and Blue Ridge, sodium and chloride in Coastal Plain wells, and test again after flooding, well work or a change in taste, color or smell.
Free or low-cost testingAvailable
The Virginia Household Water Quality Program (Virginia Tech and Virginia Cooperative Extension) runs county drinking water clinics through the year: you pick up a kit from the Extension office, drop the sample back, and get results for 14 tests (bacteria, nitrate, metals, hardness, pH and more) with an interpretation meeting, for about $65, free in counties with grant funding. Local health departments and the VDACS regional animal health laboratories also run a bacteria test for a small fee.
Getting your water tested near Dickenson County
2 certified labs within 40 miles serve Dickenson County, starting with Environmental Monitoring, Inc. in Norton (about 20 miles from the county center). Each card below shows whether the lab takes homeowner samples and which tests it is certified for.
1 certified labs within 40 miles
Licensed well contractors serving Dickenson County
No licensed contractor lists Dickenson County as a home base or service area yet. The finder below searches the whole state; most drillers travel several counties for a job.
No listings yet for this area. Try widening your search.
Well depth and water chemistry
Wells in Dickenson County typically reach 100 to 300 ft in the Coastal Plain sands east of I-95; 200 to 500 ft in the fractured rock of the Piedmont; 150 to 400 ft in the limestone valleys of the Shenandoah and Valley and Ridge; 200 to 600 ft in the Blue Ridge and the southwest coalfields. What comes up with the water depends on the aquifer, and across Virginia the usual suspects are coliform bacteria (the most common failure statewide, worst in the piedmont and the valley), hardness (shenandoah valley and other limestone areas), iron and manganese (coastal plain and piedmont). 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 (the most common failure statewide
- Worst in the Piedmont and the Valley)
- Hardness (Shenandoah Valley and other limestone areas)
- Iron and manganese (Coastal Plain and Piedmont)
- Corrosive low-pH water that pulls lead and copper from plumbing (Piedmont and Blue Ridge)
- Radon and uranium (Piedmont granite)
- Sodium
- Chloride and fluoride (deep Coastal Plain wells)
- Nitrate (Shenandoah Valley farm country
- Eastern Shore)
- Arsenic (locally in the Coastal Plain)
- PFAS near airfields and military bases
Neighboring counties: Wise County, Buchanan County, City of Norton, Russell County.
What well work costs in Dickenson County
Basic bacteria and nitrate test$25 to $75lab fee, homeowner sample
Full panel lab test$150 to $400metals, VOCs, radiologicals
Well inspection$250 to $550flow, pressure, visual, water test
Submersible pump replacement$1,200 to $4,500parts and labor
Pressure tank replacement$400 to $1,200installed
Whole-house treatment system$800 to $6,000softener, iron filter, UV, RO
New well drilled$5,500 to $25,000about $25 to $65 per foot
Shock chlorination$80 to $300or about $20 as a DIY job
National ranges from published 2025 to 2026 contractor pricing. Local quotes vary with depth, access and materials.
Questions Dickenson County well owners ask
How many homes in Dickenson County are on a well?
About 605, or 10% 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 Dickenson County?
Environmental Monitoring, Inc. in Norton, about 20 miles away. Call first to ask whether they accept homeowner samples.
Do I need a permit to drill a well in Dickenson County?
Yes. A private well needs a construction permit from the local health department before drilling, must be built by a DPOR-licensed contractor with the Water Well/Pump specialty to the Private Well Regulations (grouted casing, setbacks of 50 ft from septic tanks and 100 ft from drainfields), and after completion the health department inspects it and requires a bacteriological sample that passes before the well is placed in service. The inspection statement is your record of the well.
What does a well test cost near Dickenson County?
A bacteria and nitrate test runs $25 to $75 at most certified labs; a full panel with metals is $150 to $400. Mail-in kits cost about the same as walking in.