Florida county well guide

Well Water in Citrus County, FL: Testing, Contractors and Rules

About 17,708 households in Citrus County, 31% of the county, rely on a private well. Nobody tests that water unless the owner does.

Labs within 40 milesLicensed contractors
31%of households on a private well
Share on wells, county vs state
Citrus County31%
Florida average12%
14licensed contractors serve the county
28 mito the nearest certified lab, Marion County Water Test Lab., LLC
Nostatewide test required when a home is sold

Citrus County has an estimated 17,708 households on private wells, 31% of the county. If you are one of them, testing, treatment and repairs are yours to arrange.

Local rules for wells in Citrus County

Private wells in Citrus County follow Florida's statewide rules, administered by Florida Department of Environmental Protection. No water test is required by the state 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 wellNot required statewide

No statewide water test for a new well. What is required is a well construction permit from your water management district (or the county health department where the district has delegated permitting) before drilling, a licensed water well contractor, construction to the Chapter 62-532 standards (setbacks from septic systems, grouted casing, disinfection) and a completion report from the driller. The exception is a delineated area under Chapter 62-524: where groundwater is known to be contaminated, a new drinking water well needs a permit through the county health department and the water is sampled and cleared before the well is used.

Water test when a home is soldNot required statewide

No statewide requirement. FHA, VA and USDA loans normally require a bacteria, nitrate and lead sample from a certified lab before closing, and buyers of homes in delineated contamination areas should ask the county health department for the well's file.

What the state recommends

The Florida Department of Health recommends a coliform bacteria and nitrate test at least once a year and a lead test every three years, plus arsenic, ethylene dibromide and naturally occurring radionuclides where the county health department advises it. Add hardness, iron, sulfide, sodium and chloride on a first test, and test again after flooding, a hurricane, repairs or any change in taste, color or smell.

Free or low-cost testingAvailable

The Department of Health's Well Surveillance Program samples private wells near known contamination sites free of charge and notifies owners of the results; if your well is inside a delineated area you may already be on the list. Elsewhere, county health departments give out bottles and instructions and test bacteria and nitrate for about $20 to $30 a sample, or $30 to $40 more if staff collect it.

Getting your water tested near Citrus County

2 certified labs within 40 miles serve Citrus County, starting with Marion County Water Test Lab., LLC in Ocala (about 28 miles from the county center). Each card below shows whether the lab takes homeowner samples and which tests it is certified for.

2 certified labs within 40 miles

Licensed well contractors serving Citrus County

14 licensed contractors serve Citrus County, including Advance Well Drilling and Aqua Well & Septic. 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

Wells in Citrus County typically reach 20 to 80 ft in the surficial aquifer of the Panhandle, the Suwannee valley and southwest Florida; 100 to 400 ft in the Floridan aquifer across north and central Florida; 60 to 150 ft in the Biscayne aquifer of Miami-Dade, Broward and Palm Beach. What comes up with the water depends on the aquifer, and across Florida the usual suspects are coliform bacteria (shallow surficial wells, wells flooded by storms), nitrate (suwannee basin, agricultural areas). 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 (shallow surficial wells
  • Wells flooded by storms)
  • Nitrate (Suwannee basin
  • Agricultural areas)
  • Hydrogen sulfide and hardness (Floridan aquifer)
  • Iron and tannin-stained water (surficial wells)
  • Arsenic (old cattle dip vat sites
  • Former citrus and golf course land
  • Parts of southwest Florida)
  • Radium and radon (central Florida phosphate district)
  • Ethylene dibromide (former farmland in central and north Florida)
  • Saltwater and chloride (coastal wells)
  • PFAS near airfields and fire training sites

Neighboring counties: Sumter County, Hernando County, Marion County, Levy County.

What well work costs in Citrus 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 Citrus County well owners ask

How many homes in Citrus County are on a well?

About 17,708, or 31% 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 Citrus County?

Marion County Water Test Lab., LLC in Ocala, about 28 miles away. Call first to ask whether they accept homeowner samples.

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

No statewide water test for a new well. What is required is a well construction permit from your water management district (or the county health department where the district has delegated permitting) before drilling, a licensed water well contractor, construction to the Chapter 62-532 standards (setbacks from septic systems, grouted casing, disinfection) and a completion report from the driller. The exception is a delineated area under Chapter 62-524: where groundwater is known to be contaminated, a new drinking water well needs a permit through the county health department and the water is sampled and cleared before the well is used.

What does a well test cost near Citrus 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.