Tennessee county well guide

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

About 436 households in Houston County, 13% of the county, rely on a private well. Nobody tests that water unless the owner does.

Labs within 40 milesLicensed contractors
13%of households on a private well
Share on wells, county vs state
Houston County13%
Tennessee average9%
3licensed contractors serve the county
40+ mito a certified lab; mail-in kits recommended
Nostatewide test required when a home is sold

Roughly 13% of Houston County households, about 436, get their water from a private well rather than a utility. They are concentrated in the rural parts of the county, and they are on their own for testing.

Local rules for wells in Houston County

Private wells in Houston 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 Houston County

No state-certified lab sits within 40 miles of the center of Houston 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 Houston County

3 licensed contractors serve Houston County, including Bingham Drilling Company and Castleman Drilling, LLC. 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 Houston County typically reach 130 to 300 feet; the median of 221 residential and farm wells reported to TDEC since 2000 is 190 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

130 to 300 feet; the median of 221 residential and farm wells reported to TDEC since 2000 is 190 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: Stewart County, Humphreys County, Dickson County, Montgomery County.

What well work costs in Houston County

Bacteria test (coliform and E. coli)$40published Tennessee lab fees
Nitrate test$10 to $80varies by lab; ask when you order
Broad panel (metals and minerals)$125published Tennessee lab fees
Well inspection$250 to $550$350 to $900 with water testing
Submersible pump replacement$1,000 to $2,500installed; deep wells cost more
Pressure tank replacement$800 to $1,500installed
One treatment unit$700 to $3,500softener, iron filter or UV, installed
Multi-stage whole-house treatment$2,500 to $10,000+several units or whole-house RO, installed
New well, complete$6,000 to $16,000typical 200 ft well with pump; drilling alone about $20 to $30 per foot; deeper wells cost more
Shock chlorination$80 to $200by a contractor; under $30 to do yourself

Tennessee Tech Water Center: $40 bacteria, $125 basic package with bacteria, minerals and nitrate. Installed costs are national 2026 ranges; local quotes vary with depth, access and materials. Sources, checked September 2026: Tennessee Tech Water Center lab, HomeGuide cost guides, Angi: cost to shock a well.

Questions Houston County well owners ask

How many homes in Houston County are on a well?

About 436, or 13% 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 Houston 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 Houston 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 Houston County?

Published lab fees in Tennessee: $40 for a bacteria test. Tennessee Tech Water Center: $40 bacteria, $125 basic package with bacteria, minerals and nitrate. Mail-in kits cost about the same as walking in.