Tap & Air

Private wells

Virginia well water: who's on a well and what to test for

An estimated 1,768,200 people in 805,600 homes, about 22.3% of Virginia homes, above the national 14.6%. Estimates are from EPA's Water Source 2020 model.

People on private wells

1,768,200

Homes on wells

22.3%

Est. above arsenic limit

52,800

Accomack County: about 61% of homes on private wellsAlbemarle County: about 34% of homes on private wellsAlleghany County: about 47% of homes on private wellsAmelia County: about 98% of homes on private wellsAmherst County: about 48% of homes on private wellsAppomattox County: about 84% of homes on private wellsArlington County: about 0% of homes on private wellsAugusta County: about 48% of homes on private wellsBath County: about 73% of homes on private wellsBedford County: about 63% of homes on private wellsBland County: about 86% of homes on private wellsBotetourt County: about 52% of homes on private wellsBrunswick County: about 84% of homes on private wellsBuchanan County: about 81% of homes on private wellsBuckingham County: about 95% of homes on private wellsCampbell County: about 55% of homes on private wellsCaroline County: about 63% of homes on private wellsCarroll County: about 91% of homes on private wellsCharles City County: about 95% of homes on private wellsCharlotte County: about 86% of homes on private wellsChesterfield County: about 7% of homes on private wellsClarke County: about 61% of homes on private wellsCraig County: about 81% of homes on private wellsCulpeper County: about 52% of homes on private wellsCumberland County: about 93% of homes on private wellsDickenson County: about 67% of homes on private wellsDinwiddie County: about 65% of homes on private wellsEssex County: about 71% of homes on private wellsFairfax County: about 3% of homes on private wellsFauquier County: about 55% of homes on private wellsFloyd County: about 92% of homes on private wellsFluvanna County: about 60% of homes on private wellsFranklin County: about 73% of homes on private wellsFrederick County: about 37% of homes on private wellsGiles County: about 45% of homes on private wellsGloucester County: about 77% of homes on private wellsGoochland County: about 75% of homes on private wellsGrayson County: about 88% of homes on private wellsGreene County: about 50% of homes on private wellsGreensville County: about 70% of homes on private wellsHalifax County: about 72% of homes on private wellsHanover County: about 41% of homes on private wellsHenrico County: about 6% of homes on private wellsHenry County: about 49% of homes on private wellsHighland County: about 90% of homes on private wellsIsle of Wight County: about 41% of homes on private wellsJames City County: about 13% of homes on private wellsKing and Queen County: about 96% of homes on private wellsKing George County: about 51% of homes on private wellsKing William County: about 76% of homes on private wellsLancaster County: about 59% of homes on private wellsLee County: about 60% of homes on private wellsLoudoun County: about 10% of homes on private wellsLouisa County: about 83% of homes on private wellsLunenburg County: about 76% of homes on private wellsMadison County: about 96% of homes on private wellsMathews County: about 98% of homes on private wellsMecklenburg County: about 64% of homes on private wellsMiddlesex County: about 80% of homes on private wellsMontgomery County: about 22% of homes on private wellsNelson County: about 72% of homes on private wellsNew Kent County: about 69% of homes on private wellsNorthampton County: about 68% of homes on private wellsNorthumberland County: about 76% of homes on private wellsNottoway County: about 53% of homes on private wellsOrange County: about 48% of homes on private wellsPage County: about 55% of homes on private wellsPatrick County: about 92% of homes on private wellsPittsylvania County: about 85% of homes on private wellsPowhatan County: about 93% of homes on private wellsPrince Edward County: about 71% of homes on private wellsPrince George County: about 54% of homes on private wellsPrince William County: about 9% of homes on private wellsPulaski County: about 34% of homes on private wellsRappahannock County: about 96% of homes on private wellsRichmond County: about 81% of homes on private wellsRoanoke County: about 22% of homes on private wellsRockbridge County: about 73% of homes on private wellsRockingham County: about 51% of homes on private wellsRussell County: about 66% of homes on private wellsScott County: about 67% of homes on private wellsShenandoah County: about 49% of homes on private wellsSmyth County: about 40% of homes on private wellsSouthampton County: about 66% of homes on private wellsSpotsylvania County: about 29% of homes on private wellsStafford County: about 23% of homes on private wellsSurry County: about 78% of homes on private wellsSussex County: about 61% of homes on private wellsTazewell County: about 43% of homes on private wellsWarren County: about 55% of homes on private wellsWashington County: about 33% of homes on private wellsWestmoreland County: about 52% of homes on private wellsWise County: about 33% of homes on private wellsWythe County: about 55% of homes on private wellsYork County: about 8% of homes on private wellsAlexandria city: about 0% of homes on private wellsBristol city: about 0% of homes on private wellsBuena Vista city: about 2% of homes on private wellsCharlottesville city: about 0% of homes on private wellsChesapeake city: about 7% of homes on private wellsColonial Heights city: about 0% of homes on private wellsCovington city: about 1% of homes on private wellsDanville city: about 6% of homes on private wellsEmporia city: about 8% of homes on private wellsFairfax city: about 7% of homes on private wellsFalls Church city: about 0% of homes on private wellsFranklin city: about 1% of homes on private wellsFredericksburg city: about 0% of homes on private wellsGalax city: about 6% of homes on private wellsHampton city: about 5% of homes on private wellsHarrisonburg city: about 0% of homes on private wellsHopewell city: about 0% of homes on private wellsLexington city: about 0% of homes on private wellsLynchburg city: about 1% of homes on private wellsManassas city: about 0% of homes on private wellsManassas Park city: about 0% of homes on private wellsMartinsville city: about 0% of homes on private wellsNewport News city: about 0% of homes on private wellsNorfolk city: about 0% of homes on private wellsNorton city: about 4% of homes on private wellsPetersburg city: about 0% of homes on private wellsPoquoson city: about 0% of homes on private wellsPortsmouth city: about 0% of homes on private wellsRadford city: about 2% of homes on private wellsRichmond city: about 0% of homes on private wellsRoanoke city: about 0% of homes on private wellsSalem city: about 0% of homes on private wellsStaunton city: about 1% of homes on private wellsSuffolk city: about 17% of homes on private wellsVirginia Beach city: about 7% of homes on private wellsWaynesboro city: about 0% of homes on private wellsWilliamsburg city: about 0% of homes on private wellsWinchester city: about 0% of homes on private wells
Homes on private wellsUnder 5%5-15%15-30%30-50%50% or more

Every Virginia county

Sorted by people on private wells. Arsenic and nitrate are modeled for typical wells in the county, not measured at yours; depth is the median of domestic well records.

Pittsylvania County50,80085%1.9%0.4n/a
Bedford County49,10063%1.6%0.2n/a
Hanover County45,00041%1.8%0.5n/a
Prince William County43,9009%3.9%0.6n/a
Rockingham County43,50051%1.3%0.8n/a
Franklin County41,40073%1.7%0.2n/a
Loudoun County40,10010%3.7%1.0n/a
Spotsylvania County38,80029%1.6%0.4n/a
Fauquier County38,70055%2.9%0.4n/a
Albemarle County37,10034%2.1%0.3n/a
Stafford County36,30023%2.2%0.3n/a
Augusta County35,90048%1.7%0.8n/a
Fairfax County33,7003%2.3%0.9n/a
Frederick County32,50037%2.0%0.6n/a
Louisa County31,90083%1.5%0.3n/a
Campbell County30,70055%1.8%0.3n/a
Gloucester County29,90077%4.4%0.2n/a
Powhatan County27,70093%2.2%0.1n/a
Chesterfield County27,0007%2.8%0.3n/a
Carroll County26,20091%1.3%0.3n/a
Culpeper County26,00052%2.3%0.5n/a
Henry County24,70049%1.5%0.2n/a
Accomack County24,50061%3.8%0.0180 ft
Halifax County24,30072%1.4%0.2n/a
Virginia Beach city23,4007%3.0%0.2n/a
Roanoke County22,10022%1.7%0.3n/a
Warren County21,80055%1.8%0.4n/a
Shenandoah County21,70049%1.4%0.6n/a
Montgomery County20,60022%1.6%0.3n/a
Chesapeake city20,1007%2.1%0.0n/a
Henrico County19,9006%1.8%0.3n/a
Mecklenburg County19,60064%1.7%0.3n/a
Goochland County19,30075%3.6%0.1n/a
Caroline County18,60063%1.8%0.3n/a
Orange County18,20048%1.6%0.4n/a
Dinwiddie County17,70065%2.2%0.3n/a
Washington County17,60033%1.5%0.4n/a
Prince George County17,50054%1.8%0.3n/a
Russell County17,10066%1.4%0.1n/a
Tazewell County17,00043%1.7%0.1n/a
Buchanan County16,80081%2.6%0.063 ft
Botetourt County16,70052%1.6%0.3n/a
Rockbridge County16,40073%2.1%0.2n/a
Fluvanna County16,10060%1.8%0.1n/a
Wythe County16,10055%1.5%0.3n/a
Patrick County15,80092%1.5%0.3n/a
Isle of Wight County15,70041%4.8%0.0n/a
Suffolk city15,50017%5.7%0.0n/a
New Kent County15,40069%2.2%0.0n/a
Amherst County15,20048%2.3%0.2n/a
Prince Edward County14,60071%1.7%0.1n/a
Scott County14,40067%1.3%0.1n/a
Floyd County14,30092%1.5%0.2n/a
Buckingham County14,00095%1.8%0.1n/a
King William County13,70076%2.0%0.2n/a
Appomattox County13,60084%1.2%0.2n/a
Grayson County13,60088%1.5%0.3n/a
King George County13,50051%2.2%0.2n/a
Madison County13,20096%1.7%0.6n/a
Nelson County13,20072%2.2%0.2n/a
Amelia County13,10098%2.2%0.3n/a
Lee County12,40060%1.2%0.2n/a
Page County12,20055%1.4%0.6n/a
Brunswick County11,80084%1.8%0.1n/a
Smyth County11,70040%1.4%0.2n/a
Wise County11,30033%1.6%0.0n/a
Southampton County10,80066%1.5%0.0n/a
James City County10,40013%3.3%0.0n/a
Pulaski County10,20034%1.5%0.3n/a
Greene County9,80050%1.6%0.2n/a
Charlotte County9,80086%1.6%0.2n/a
Westmoreland County9,70052%2.4%0.2n/a
Dickenson County9,70067%2.2%0.0n/a
Northumberland County9,30076%2.5%0.1n/a
Lunenburg County9,20076%1.5%0.1n/a
Cumberland County9,00093%2.6%0.1n/a
Clarke County9,00061%1.7%1.2n/a
Middlesex County8,80080%3.3%0.4n/a
Northampton County8,70068%4.2%0.0n/a
Nottoway County8,70053%1.8%0.3n/a
Mathews County8,40098%3.4%0.1n/a
Essex County7,70071%2.0%0.1n/a
Giles County7,20045%1.9%0.1n/a
Alleghany County7,20047%2.0%0.1n/a
Rappahannock County7,00096%1.8%0.3n/a
Lancaster County6,60059%3.6%0.2n/a
Charles City County6,40095%2.4%0.1n/a
King and Queen County6,40096%2.6%0.1n/a
Hampton city6,3005%2.8%0.0n/a
Richmond County6,00081%2.0%0.0n/a
Greensville County5,50070%1.7%0.2n/a
Surry County5,40078%1.8%0.0n/a
Sussex County5,30061%1.9%0.1n/a
Bland County4,90086%1.7%0.1n/a
York County4,6008%3.3%0.0n/a
Craig County4,00081%2.1%0.1n/a
Bath County3,20073%2.4%0.1n/a
Danville city2,5006%1.9%1.4n/a
Highland County2,00090%2.1%0.1n/a
Fairfax city1,7007%1.7%2.3n/a
Lynchburg city9701%1.5%0.9n/a
Galax city5406%1.6%1.0n/a
Richmond city4800%1.8%0.5n/a
Staunton city4101%1.5%1.2n/a
Emporia city3408%1.3%0.0n/a
Radford city2702%1.5%0.4n/a
Newport News city2300%2.5%0.0n/a
Roanoke city1600%1.7%1.0n/a
Harrisonburg city1600%1.3%1.0n/a
Norton city1504%1.4%0.2n/a
Petersburg city1300%1.6%1.8n/a
Buena Vista city1302%2.2%0.4n/a
Franklin city1201%1.8%0.0n/a
Winchester city900%1.4%1.8n/a
Fredericksburg city600%2.0%0.8n/a
Portsmouth city600%7.5%0.1n/a
Poquoson city600%3.0%0.0n/a
Bristol city500%1.3%0.6n/a
Waynesboro city500%1.6%1.7n/a
Manassas city400%5.7%1.6n/a
Covington city301%2.0%0.3n/a
Salem city300%1.8%0.8n/a
Norfolk city300%6.4%0.2n/a
Hopewell city200%1.5%1.3n/a
Martinsville city100%1.4%0.5n/a
Arlington County00%2.1%0.9n/a
Alexandria city00%2.2%0.7n/a
Charlottesville city00%1.8%1.0n/a
Colonial Heights city00%2.0%2.4n/a
Falls Church city00%1.9%0.9n/a
Lexington city00%2.1%0.6n/a
Manassas Park city00%4.9%2.1n/a
Williamsburg city00%3.1%0.0n/a

Shading: red is among the highest counties nationally, amber the middle, green the lower range. Click a column to sort.

Most well users above the arsenic limit

Test first, then treat what the test finds

We may earn a commission from links below, at no cost to you. Picks follow the testing order, not who pays. How we make money.

1. Certified lab well test

Start here, every year

A mail-in kit analyzed by a certified lab measures bacteria, nitrate, arsenic, metals and more. Test strips cannot measure arsenic or uranium reliably.

Mail-in certified lab well water test

Mid-range
See today's price on Amazon

2. Sediment pre-filter

Sand, silt or cloudy water

A 5-micron cartridge after the pressure tank catches sand, silt and rust before they reach fixtures or other filters. Cartridges are cheap and swap every few months.

5-micron whole-house sediment filter

Budget
See today's price on Amazon

3. Iron and sulfur filter

Orange stains or rotten-egg smell

Air-injection or oxidizing-media filters remove orange staining and rotten-egg smell. Size one from a lab result for iron, manganese and hydrogen sulfide.

Air-injection iron and sulfur filter

Premium
See today's price on Amazon

4. UV disinfection system

Coliform bacteria in a test

Inactivates bacteria and viruses; usually for private wells or after boil notices.

12 GPM whole-house UV purifier

Premium
See today's price on Amazon

5. Under-sink reverse osmosis

Arsenic, nitrate or uranium in a test

The most thorough option for drinking water: PFAS, lead, nitrate, arsenic and more. Look for NSF/ANSI 58.

Waterdrop G3P600 tankless RO

$539.00
Buy at Waterdrop

Price at Waterdrop, checked Oct 5, 2026or compare on Amazon

iSpring RCC7AK reverse osmosis

Mid-range
See today's price on Amazon

6. Whole-house well filter

Several problems at once

Multi-stage sediment and carbon for every tap. Add UV if bacteria shows up, and choose stages from your lab results, not a guess.

Waterdrop WHF21 2-stage whole-house filter

Mid-range
See today's price on Amazon
Get free well water treatment quotes

Questions

Which Virginia counties rely most on wells?+

By share of homes: Amelia County (98%), Mathews County (98%), King and Queen County (96%), Rappahannock County (96%), Madison County (96%). By number of people: Pittsylvania County (50,800), Bedford County (49,100), Hanover County (45,000).

Is arsenic a problem in Virginia wells?+

USGS estimates about 52,800 Virginia well users have water above the 10 microgram per liter arsenic limit that applies to public systems, the largest numbers in Fairfax County, Spotsylvania County, Chesapeake city. Arsenic has no taste or smell, so only a lab test finds it.

Do I have to test my well when I sell a house in Virginia?+

We could not confirm a statewide rule for Virginia. Check with your county health department. Buyers can still make a lab test a condition of the offer.

How often should I test my well?+

No federal law covers private wells. EPA's drinking water limits apply to public water systems, so testing and treating a private well is up to the owner. EPA and CDC recommend testing at least once a year for coliform bacteria, nitrate, pH and total dissolved solids, and testing for arsenic, uranium, radon and other local concerns based on where you live.

Well-user counts, arsenic and nitrate figures are each a modeled estimate built from national datasets, not a count of tested wells, and well depths summarize drilling records rather than every well. Your own well can be very different from the county average, which is why the only answer for your home is a lab test. Sources: EPA Office of Research and Development, Water Source 2020 (private well estimates by census block); CDC Environmental Public Health Tracking, Well Water Index (from USGS nitrate and arsenic models); USGS, county-level domestic well population with arsenic above 10 micrograms per liter (Ayotte and others, 2017); USGS Synthesized Domestic Well Database for the Conterminous United States (SynDWell-US), McCarthy and others, 2025 (depth, where a county has 30+ usable records).