FL Dept. of Health – Columbia County Health Department
FL certified
Homeowner samples
- Coliform Bacteria
Florida county well guide
Well Water in Columbia County, FL: Testing, Contractors and Rules
About 18,914 households in Columbia County, 69% 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
2licensed contractors serve the county
<1 mito the nearest certified lab, FL Dept. of Health – Columbia County Health Department
Nostatewide test required when a home is sold
Most homes in Columbia County are on a private well: about 18,914 households, 69% of the county. That makes Columbia County one of the places in Florida where the water department is the homeowner.
Local rules for wells in Columbia County
Private wells in Columbia 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 Columbia County
4 certified labs within 40 miles serve Columbia County, starting with FL Dept. of Health – Columbia County Health Department in Lake City (in the county). Each card below shows whether the lab takes homeowner samples and which tests it is certified for.
4 certified labs within 40 miles
FL Dept. of Health – Alachua County Health Department
FL certified
Homeowner samples
- Coliform Bacteria
BCS Laboratories, Inc. – Gainesville
FL certified
- Coliform Bacteria
Advanced Environmental Laboratories, Inc. – Gainesville
FL certified
- Coliform Bacteria
- Nitrate / Nitrite
Licensed well contractors serving Columbia County
2 licensed contractors serve Columbia County, including A&b Well Drilling Inc and Malcolm Drilling Company 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.
2 licensed contractors
A&b Well Drilling Inc
Verified license
License 2681 Active
- Well Abandonment
- Well Drilling
- Well Repair
Malcolm Drilling Company Inc
Verified license
License 4817 Active
- Geothermal
- Well Abandonment
- Well Drilling
- Well Repair
Well depth and water chemistry
Wells in Columbia 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: Union County, Suwannee County, Baker County, Lafayette County.
What well work costs in Columbia 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 Columbia County well owners ask
How many homes in Columbia County are on a well?
About 18,914, or 69% 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 Columbia County?
FL Dept. of Health – Columbia County Health Department in Lake City, inside the county. It accepts homeowner samples.
Do I need a permit to drill a well in Columbia 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 Columbia 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.