Ohio county well guide

Well Water in Washington County, OH: Testing, Contractors and Rules

About 239 households in Washington County, 1% of the county, rely on a private well. Nobody tests that water unless the owner does.

Labs within 40 milesLicensed contractors
1%of households on a private well
Share on wells, county vs state
Washington County1%
Ohio average18%
13licensed contractors serve the county
6 mito the nearest certified lab, Microbac Laboratories, Inc. – Marietta Division
Nostatewide test required when a home is sold

Most of Washington County is on public water, but an estimated 239 households still rely on a private well. This page covers the rules, labs and licensed contractors that serve them.

Local rules for wells in Washington County

Private wells in Washington County follow Ohio's statewide rules, administered by Ohio Department of Health. A water test is required 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 wellRequired

Under OAC 3701-28 a permit from the local health district is required before a well is drilled or altered. When the work is done, the owner asks the health district for the final inspection, and a sanitarian collects the water sample: total coliform, E. coli and nitrate. The system is approved only when the sample passes (4 or fewer total coliform per 100 mL and no E. coli for a well without continuous disinfection).

Water test when a home is soldNot required statewide

No statewide requirement. Most local health districts offer a real-estate evaluation of the well on request (a visual inspection plus a bacteria and nitrate sample), and some lenders ask for one. Ask the county health district for its fee and turnaround.

What the state recommends

ODH recommends a total coliform and nitrate test every year, and every time the water changes in taste, color or smell, after flooding, or after any work on the well or pump. Add arsenic, iron and manganese, hardness and sulfate at least once, and PFAS or methane where local conditions call for it.

Free or low-cost testingAvailable

No statewide free program. Several county health districts run their own labs (Erie, Logan, Mahoning, Canton City among them) and sell bacteria and nitrate tests at cost; others sell bottles from a certified lab. OSU Extension fact sheet AEX-315 lists labs that accept samples from homeowners.

Getting your water tested near Washington County

2 certified labs within 40 miles serve Washington County, starting with Microbac Laboratories, Inc. – Marietta Division in Marietta (about 6 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 Washington County

13 licensed contractors serve Washington County, including Bjaam Environmental Inc and Cascade. 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 Washington County typically reach 50 to 200 ft in glacial sand and gravel; 100 to 400 ft in bedrock in the east and south feet. What comes up with the water depends on the aquifer, and across Ohio the usual suspects are coliform bacteria, nitrate (northwest and central farm counties), arsenic (glacial aquifers in northwest and central ohio), iron. 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
  • Nitrate (northwest and central farm counties)
  • Arsenic (glacial aquifers in northwest and central Ohio)
  • Iron
  • Manganese
  • Hardness
  • Sulfate and hydrogen sulfide (eastern shale and coal country)
  • Radium and uranium (some sandstone and shale wells)
  • Methane (near oil and gas fields)

Neighboring counties: Morgan County, Noble County, Athens County, Monroe County.

What well work costs in Washington 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 Washington County well owners ask

How many homes in Washington County are on a well?

About 239, or 1% 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 Washington County?

Microbac Laboratories, Inc. – Marietta Division in Marietta, about 6 miles away. Call first to ask whether they accept homeowner samples.

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

Under OAC 3701-28 a permit from the local health district is required before a well is drilled or altered. When the work is done, the owner asks the health district for the final inspection, and a sanitarian collects the water sample: total coliform, E. coli and nitrate. The system is approved only when the sample passes (4 or fewer total coliform per 100 mL and no E. coli for a well without continuous disinfection).

What does a well test cost near Washington 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.