Funk Drilling Co Inc
Verified license
License 0215-0511-00, 0215-0512-00 Active
- Pump Installation
- Pump Repair
- Well Abandonment
- Well Drilling
- Well Repair
Kentucky county well guide
Well Water in Carter County, KY: Testing, Contractors and Rules
About 815 households in Carter County, 8% 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
3licensed contractors serve the county
40+ mito a certified lab; mail-in kits recommended
Nostatewide test required when a home is sold
About 815 homes in Carter County are on a private well. That is 8% of households, enough that every township has well owners and few of them have had the water tested recently.
Local rules for wells in Carter County
The rules that apply in Carter 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 Carter County
Carter County has no certified lab within 40 miles, so most owners here test by mail. Order bottles from a certified lab, sample from the cold tap before any treatment, and ship the same day with an ice pack.
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Licensed well contractors serving Carter County
Licensed help in Carter County includes Funk Drilling Co Inc and Kelly Well Drilling and 1 other. Every listing was matched to the Kentucky license list; the "verify" link on each profile opens the state lookup.
3 licensed contractors
Kelly Well Drilling
Verified license
License 0084-0478-00, 0084-0089-00 Active
- Pump Installation
- Well Abandonment
- Well Drilling
- Well Repair
Stock Drilling Inc
Verified license
License 0504-0603-00 Active
- Pump Installation
- Well Abandonment
- Well Drilling
- Well Repair
Well depth and water chemistry
Well depth and water chemistry in Carter County follow the rock underneath it. Typical wells here run 60 to 140 feet; the median of 97 household wells in the Kentucky Groundwater Data Repository drilled since 1990 is 90 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
60 to 140 feet; the median of 97 household wells in the Kentucky Groundwater Data Repository drilled since 1990 is 90 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: Elliott County, Greenup County, Boyd County, Rowan County.
What well work costs in Carter 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 Carter County well owners ask
How many homes in Carter County are on a well?
About 815, or 8% 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 Carter County?
There is no certified lab within 40 miles. Use a mail-in kit from a Kentucky certified lab, or the county health department if it collects samples.
Do I need a permit to drill a well in Carter 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 Carter 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.