Private well guide

Well Water in Michigan: Testing, Rules, Labs and Licensed Contractors

1,010,897 households in Michigan get their water from a private well. Here is what the state requires, where to get it tested, and who is licensed to work on it.

Find a certified labLicensed contractorsPick my county
538Licensed contractorschecked against state records
63Certified labsfrom the state certified list
83Counties covered
1,010,897Households on wells25% of households (est.)

Michigan has more private wells than any other state, over a million households, and it is also one of the few states that actually inspects new ones. That combination shapes everything below.

How Michigan regulates wells under Part 127

Part 127 of the Public Health Code is the well construction code. Your local health department issues the permit, inspects the work and requires a water sample before the well goes into service. EGLE registers the contractors and keeps the Wellogic database of well logs, which for most Michigan wells drilled since 2000 means you can look up your own well’s depth, casing and yield online.

At a glance

Water test for a new wellRequired

Michigan requires new wells to be tested at installation under the well construction code (Part 127 of the Public Health Code). Local health departments issue the permit and require the sample.

Water test when a home is soldNot required statewide

No statewide requirement, but several counties run time-of-sale or point-of-sale well and septic evaluation programs. Check the county page.

What the state recommends

EGLE recommends testing for coliform bacteria, nitrate and nitrite, fluoride, chloride, sulfate, sodium, hardness, and metals including arsenic, lead, iron, manganese, copper, uranium and others. Bacteria and nitrate yearly; a full chemistry panel every few years or when water changes.

Free or low-cost testingAvailable

Eight county health departments run their own onsite labs (Washtenaw, Oakland, Kalamazoo, Saginaw, Luce, Mackinac, Alger, Schoolcraft). Residents elsewhere can order a mail-in test through the EGLE Drinking Water Laboratory.

Arsenic, nitrate and the tests that matter here

Two problems set Michigan apart. Naturally occurring arsenic is common in the southeast and the Thumb, where bedrock aquifers can run well above the 10 ppb federal limit. Nitrate from farm fertilizer shows up in shallow wells across the agricultural counties. Neither has a taste or smell. EGLE recommends bacteria and nitrate every year, and a full chemistry panel that includes arsenic, iron, manganese, fluoride and hardness every few years. Eight county health departments run their own labs; everywhere else you can order a mail-in kit from the EGLE Drinking Water Laboratory.

63 certified labs

See all 63 certified labs in Michigan

Registered drillers and pump installers

Michigan registers well drilling contractors and pump installers separately, and each has to renew every year. The list below is built from the EGLE registered contractor directory, so every name comes with its registration type. If a company is not on it, they are not allowed to drill or set a pump in Michigan.

538 licensed contractors

See all 538 licensed contractors in Michigan

Find your county

Health department rules, time-of-sale programs and groundwater chemistry vary by county. Start with yours.

Michigan well water questions

Does Michigan require a well test when I sell my home?

Not statewide. Several counties run time-of-sale or point-of-sale evaluation programs that cover both the well and the septic system, so check the county page before you list a property.

How do I find the well log for my house?

Search Wellogic, EGLE’s statewide well record database, by address or parcel. Logs for wells drilled since about 2000 are usually there, and many older ones were scanned in.

Is arsenic in well water a real risk in Michigan?

Yes in some areas. Testing is the only way to know, because arsenic has no taste, color or smell. If your result is over 10 ppb, a point-of-use reverse osmosis unit or a whole-house adsorption system fixes it, and the county pages list treatment installers.

Who inspects a new well in Michigan?

Your local health department. They issue the permit, check the construction and require the bacteria sample before the well is approved for use.