Mineral Labs, Inc.
KY certified
- Arsenic
- Coliform Bacteria
- Full Homeowner Panel
- Hardness
- Iron and Manganese
- Lead
- Nitrate / Nitrite
- Radon in Water
- Uranium
Kentucky county well guide
Well Water in Owsley County, KY: Testing, Contractors and Rules
About 387 households in Owsley County, 22% 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
39 mito the nearest certified lab, Mineral Labs, Inc.
Nostatewide test required when a home is sold
About one in 5 households in Owsley County relies on a private well, around 387 homes. Outside the towns with public water, wells are the norm here.
Local rules for wells in Owsley County
The rules that apply in Owsley County are set at the state level in Kentucky. The state does not require a test on a new well, and nothing is required at sale. Some counties and townships add permits or setbacks of their own, so check locally before drilling. The state's own recommendations are below.
At a glance
Water test for a new wellNot required statewide
No statewide water test and no permit or fee for a household well. All work on a well, including plugging it, must be done by a Kentucky certified water well driller to the 401 KAR 6:310 construction standards (grouted casing, sanitary well cap, 50 ft from a septic tank and 70 ft from a drainfield), and the driller must file the well record with the Division of Water and give you a copy within 60 days. A few local health departments ask for a bacteria sample on a new well; lenders usually do.
Water test when a home is soldNot required statewide
No statewide requirement. The Kentucky seller's disclosure form asks whether the water source is a well, spring or cistern and whether there are known problems, nothing more. FHA, VA and USDA loans normally require a bacteria, nitrate and lead sample from a certified lab before closing.
What the state recommends
The Division of Water recommends testing a private well, spring or cistern every year for coliform bacteria, and every few years for nitrate, pH, hardness, iron, manganese, lead and copper. Add arsenic in the Jackson Purchase and western coal field, hydrogen sulfide and metals in the eastern coal field, radon in the Bluegrass and Pennyroyal limestone, and test again after flooding, well work or a change in taste, color or smell. Karst wells and springs in the Pennyroyal and Bluegrass should be retested after heavy rain.
Free or low-cost testingAvailable
No statewide free program. Most county and district health departments will collect a private well or cistern sample and send it to the state Division of Laboratory Services in Frankfort for total coliform and E. coli, for a sampling fee of about $50; call the environmental office of your local health department to schedule. UK Cooperative Extension offices run periodic screening events in some counties.
Getting your water tested near Owsley County
The nearest certified lab is Mineral Labs, Inc. in Salyersville, about 39 miles from the county center. Mail-in kits fill the gap for anything it does not run.
1 certified labs within 40 miles
Licensed well contractors serving Owsley County
No licensed contractor lists Owsley 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
Well depth and water chemistry in Owsley County follow the rock underneath it. Typical wells here run 50 to 120 feet; the median of 102 household wells in the Kentucky Groundwater Data Repository drilled since 1990 is 80 feet. Contaminants worth testing for in this part of Kentucky include coliform bacteria (the most common failure statewide, worst in karst limestone wells and springs that draw surface water after rain), nitrate (shallow wells in farm country and the purchase), iron and manganese (coal fields and the jackson purchase).
Typical well depth
50 to 120 feet; the median of 102 household wells in the Kentucky Groundwater Data Repository drilled since 1990 is 80 feet
Contaminants to test for
- Coliform bacteria (the most common failure statewide
- Worst in karst limestone wells and springs that draw surface water after rain)
- Nitrate (shallow wells in farm country and the Purchase)
- Iron and manganese (coal fields and the Jackson Purchase)
- Hydrogen sulfide and methane (shale and coal-bearing rock in the eastern and western coal fields)
- Hardness (limestone across the Bluegrass and Pennyroyal)
- Acidic corrosive water that pulls lead and copper from plumbing (coal field wells)
- Arsenic (locally in western Kentucky)
- Radon (locally in limestone and black shale)
- Pesticides (shallow Purchase wells)
- PFAS near airfields and industrial sites
Neighboring counties: Lee County, Jackson County, Breathitt County, Clay County.
What well work costs in Owsley County
Bacteria test (coliform and E. coli)$50published Kentucky lab fees
Nitrate test$10 to $80varies by lab; ask when you order
Broad panel (metals and minerals)$85 to $450state and university lab packages
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
State lab sampling fee through the local health department (bacteria only); private labs set their own nitrate prices. Installed costs are national 2026 ranges; local quotes vary with depth, access and materials. Sources, checked September 2026: Oldham County Health Department, Lincoln Trail District Health Department, HomeGuide cost guides, Angi: cost to shock a well.
Questions Owsley County well owners ask
How many homes in Owsley County are on a well?
About 387, or 22% 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 Owsley County?
Mineral Labs, Inc. in Salyersville, about 39 miles away. Call first to ask whether they accept homeowner samples.
Do I need a permit to drill a well in Owsley County?
No statewide water test and no permit or fee for a household well. All work on a well, including plugging it, must be done by a Kentucky certified water well driller to the 401 KAR 6:310 construction standards (grouted casing, sanitary well cap, 50 ft from a septic tank and 70 ft from a drainfield), and the driller must file the well record with the Division of Water and give you a copy within 60 days. A few local health departments ask for a bacteria sample on a new well; lenders usually do.
What does a well test cost near Owsley County?
Published lab fees in Kentucky: $50 for a bacteria test. State lab sampling fee through the local health department (bacteria only); private labs set their own nitrate prices. Mail-in kits cost about the same as walking in.