IEH – Scottsville
KY certified
- Coliform Bacteria
Kentucky county well guide
Well Water in Metcalfe County, KY: Testing, Contractors and Rules
About 1,011 households in Metcalfe County, 26% 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
1licensed contractors serve the county
36 mito the nearest certified lab, IEH – Scottsville
Nostatewide test required when a home is sold
About one in 4 households in Metcalfe County relies on a private well, around 1,011 homes. Outside the towns with public water, wells are the norm here.
Local rules for wells in Metcalfe County
The rules that apply in Metcalfe 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 Metcalfe County
The nearest certified lab is IEH – Scottsville in Scottsville, about 36 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 Metcalfe County
Licensed help in Metcalfe County includes Bellco LLC. Every listing was matched to the Kentucky license list; the "verify" link on each profile opens the state lookup.
1 licensed contractors
Bellco LLC
Verified license
License 0564-0673-00 Active
- Pump Installation
- Well Abandonment
- Well Drilling
- Well Repair
Well depth and water chemistry
Well depth and water chemistry in Metcalfe County follow the rock underneath it. Typical wells here run 50 to 150 ft in the Bluegrass limestone around Lexington, where yields are small and many homes use cisterns; 100 to 300 ft in the Pennyroyal (Mississippian Plateau) karst of south-central and western Kentucky; 100 to 250 ft in the sandstone and shale of the eastern and western coal fields; 50 to 200 ft in the sands and gravels of the Jackson Purchase west of the Tennessee River. 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
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 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: Barren County, Green County, Cumberland County, Monroe County.
What well work costs in Metcalfe 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 Metcalfe County well owners ask
How many homes in Metcalfe County are on a well?
About 1,011, or 26% 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 Metcalfe County?
IEH – Scottsville in Scottsville, about 36 miles away. Call first to ask whether they accept homeowner samples.
Do I need a permit to drill a well in Metcalfe 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 Metcalfe 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.