Tennessee county well guide

Well Water in Benton County, TN: Testing, Contractors and Rules

About 2,504 households in Benton County, 39% of the county, rely on a private well. Nobody tests that water unless the owner does.

Labs within 40 milesLicensed contractors
39%of households on a private well
Share on wells, county vs state
Benton County39%
Tennessee average9%
8licensed contractors serve the county
40+ mito a certified lab; mail-in kits recommended
Nostatewide test required when a home is sold

Benton County has an estimated 2,504 households on private wells, 39% of the county. If you are one of them, testing, treatment and repairs are yours to arrange.

Local rules for wells in Benton County

Private wells in Benton County follow Tennessee's statewide rules, administered by Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation, Division of Water Resources. 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 and no state permit for a household well. The Water Well Act requires the well to be drilled by a TDEC-licensed water well driller to the rule 0400-45-09 construction standards (steel casing at least 19 ft deep or into bedrock, grouted, ending 6 in above grade with a sanitary seal; 50 ft from septic tanks and drainfields, 10 ft from property lines), and the driller must file a well report with TDEC within 30 days. A few counties permit wells through the county health department, Shelby County most notably, and lenders usually want a bacteria test on a new well.

Water test when a home is soldNot required statewide

No statewide requirement. The Tennessee Residential Property Condition Disclosure asks only whether the water supply is a well and whether the seller knows of problems. FHA, VA and USDA loans normally require a bacteria, nitrate and lead sample from a certified lab before closing.

What the state recommends

TDEC and the Department of Health recommend testing a private well for coliform bacteria every year, and for nitrate, pH, hardness, iron, manganese, lead and copper at least once and again every few years. Add radon and uranium in East Tennessee bedrock wells, arsenic on the Highland Rim and in West Tennessee sands, pesticides in shallow Coastal Plain wells, and test again after flooding, well work or a change in taste, color or smell. Karst wells in Middle and East Tennessee should be retested after heavy rain, when bacteria and turbidity spike.

Free or low-cost testingAvailable

No statewide free program. The Department of Health laboratory in Nashville (and the Knoxville regional laboratory for East Tennessee) tests private well and spring samples for bacteria, nitrate and metals for a modest fee; bottles and forms come through the county health department or the laboratory (615-262-6337). Some county health departments and UT Extension offices run periodic screening days.

Getting your water tested near Benton County

No state-certified lab sits within 40 miles of the center of Benton County. That is common in rural Tennessee, and the practical answer is a mail-in kit: the lab ships bottles, you sample at the kitchen tap and ship them back cold. The finder below widens the search to the whole state.

No listings yet for this area. Try widening your search.

Licensed well contractors serving Benton County

8 licensed contractors serve Benton County, including Bingham Drilling Company and Campbell Water Well Service, 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.

Well depth and water chemistry

Wells in Benton County typically reach 60 to 140 feet; the median of 908 residential and farm wells reported to TDEC since 2000 is 90 feet. What comes up with the water depends on the aquifer, and across Tennessee the usual suspects are coliform bacteria (the most common failure statewide, worst in karst limestone wells that draw surface water after rain), nitrate (farm counties and shallow west tennessee wells), hardness (limestone across middle and east tennessee). A first full panel tells you which of them apply to your well.

Typical well depth

60 to 140 feet; the median of 908 residential and farm wells reported to TDEC since 2000 is 90 feet

Contaminants to test for
  • Coliform bacteria (the most common failure statewide
  • Worst in karst limestone wells that draw surface water after rain)
  • Nitrate (farm counties and shallow West Tennessee wells)
  • Hardness (limestone across Middle and East Tennessee)
  • Iron and manganese (West Tennessee sands
  • The Cumberland Plateau and shale wells)
  • Hydrogen sulfide (shale and deeper limestone wells)
  • Turbidity after storms (karst wells)
  • Acidic corrosive water that pulls lead and copper from plumbing (Plateau sandstone and Blue Ridge wells)
  • Radon and uranium (East Tennessee crystalline rock and black shale)
  • Arsenic (locally on the Highland Rim and in West Tennessee)
  • PFAS near airfields and industrial sites

Neighboring counties: Humphreys County, Carroll County, Henry County, Houston County.

What well work costs in Benton 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 Benton County well owners ask

How many homes in Benton County are on a well?

About 2,504, or 39% 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 Benton County?

There is no certified lab within 40 miles. Use a mail-in kit from a Tennessee certified lab, or the county health department if it collects samples.

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

No statewide water test and no state permit for a household well. The Water Well Act requires the well to be drilled by a TDEC-licensed water well driller to the rule 0400-45-09 construction standards (steel casing at least 19 ft deep or into bedrock, grouted, ending 6 in above grade with a sanitary seal; 50 ft from septic tanks and drainfields, 10 ft from property lines), and the driller must file a well report with TDEC within 30 days. A few counties permit wells through the county health department, Shelby County most notably, and lenders usually want a bacteria test on a new well.

What does a well test cost near Benton 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.