Well Water in City of Salem, VA: Testing, Contractors and Rules
About 252 households in City of Salem, 3% of the county, rely on a private well. Nobody tests that water unless the owner does.
Wells are the exception in City of Salem: about 252 households, under 3% of the county, are on a private well. Being in the minority means less local help, so this page gathers what applies.
Local rules for wells in City of Salem
The rules that apply in City of Salem are set at the state level in Virginia. New wells must be tested before use, 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
Yes. A private well needs a construction permit from the local health department before drilling, must be built by a DPOR-licensed contractor with the Water Well/Pump specialty to the Private Well Regulations (grouted casing, setbacks of 50 ft from septic tanks and 100 ft from drainfields), and after completion the health department inspects it and requires a bacteriological sample that passes before the well is placed in service. The inspection statement is your record of the well.
No statewide requirement. The Residential Property Disclosure Act does not require a water test. FHA, VA and USDA loans normally require a bacteria, nitrate and lead sample from a certified lab before closing, and buyers can ask the local health department for the well's construction permit and inspection file.
The Virginia Department of Health and the Virginia Household Water Quality Program recommend a coliform bacteria test every year and nitrate at least every three years, with a broader first test for hardness, iron, manganese, pH, sodium, copper, lead, arsenic and fluoride. Add radon and uranium in the Piedmont and Blue Ridge, sodium and chloride in Coastal Plain wells, and test again after flooding, well work or a change in taste, color or smell.
The Virginia Household Water Quality Program (Virginia Tech and Virginia Cooperative Extension) runs county drinking water clinics through the year: you pick up a kit from the Extension office, drop the sample back, and get results for 14 tests (bacteria, nitrate, metals, hardness, pH and more) with an interpretation meeting, for about $65, free in counties with grant funding. Local health departments and the VDACS regional animal health laboratories also run a bacteria test for a small fee.
Getting your water tested near City of Salem
City of Salem has no certified lab within 40 miles, so most owners here test by mail. Order bottles from a certified lab, sample from the cold tap before any treatment, and ship the same day with an ice pack.
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Licensed well contractors serving City of Salem
No licensed contractor lists City of Salem as a home base or service area yet. The finder below searches the whole state; most drillers travel several counties for a job.
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Well depth and water chemistry
Well depth and water chemistry in City of Salem follow the rock underneath it. Typical wells here run 100 to 300 ft in the Coastal Plain sands east of I-95; 200 to 500 ft in the fractured rock of the Piedmont; 150 to 400 ft in the limestone valleys of the Shenandoah and Valley and Ridge; 200 to 600 ft in the Blue Ridge and the southwest coalfields. Contaminants worth testing for in this part of Virginia include coliform bacteria (the most common failure statewide, worst in the piedmont and the valley), hardness (shenandoah valley and other limestone areas), iron and manganese (coastal plain and piedmont).
Varies by location. Check the state well record search for logs of nearby wells.
- Coliform bacteria (the most common failure statewide
- Worst in the Piedmont and the Valley)
- Hardness (Shenandoah Valley and other limestone areas)
- Iron and manganese (Coastal Plain and Piedmont)
- Corrosive low-pH water that pulls lead and copper from plumbing (Piedmont and Blue Ridge)
- Radon and uranium (Piedmont granite)
- Sodium
- Chloride and fluoride (deep Coastal Plain wells)
- Nitrate (Shenandoah Valley farm country
- Eastern Shore)
- Arsenic (locally in the Coastal Plain)
- PFAS near airfields and military bases
Neighboring counties: Roanoke County, Craig County, Botetourt County, Montgomery County.
What well work costs in City of Salem
Virginia Household Water Quality Program clinics: $70 covers 14 tests including bacteria and nitrate. Installed costs are national 2026 ranges; local quotes vary with depth, access and materials. Sources, checked September 2026: Henrico County, 2026 clinic, HomeGuide cost guides, Angi: cost to shock a well.
Questions City of Salem well owners ask
How many homes in City of Salem are on a well?
About 252, or 3% 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 City of Salem?
There is no certified lab within 40 miles. Use a mail-in kit from a Virginia certified lab, or the county health department if it collects samples.
Do I need a permit to drill a well in City of Salem?
Yes. A private well needs a construction permit from the local health department before drilling, must be built by a DPOR-licensed contractor with the Water Well/Pump specialty to the Private Well Regulations (grouted casing, setbacks of 50 ft from septic tanks and 100 ft from drainfields), and after completion the health department inspects it and requires a bacteriological sample that passes before the well is placed in service. The inspection statement is your record of the well.
What does a well test cost near City of Salem?
Published lab fees in Virginia: $70 for a bacteria test that also covers nitrate. Virginia Household Water Quality Program clinics: $70 covers 14 tests including bacteria and nitrate. Mail-in kits cost about the same as walking in.