Water Quality Testing
Private wells in Pennsylvania aren’t regulated, so the only way to know what’s in your water is to test it. We collect samples using EPA protocols and deliver them to Brandywine Science Center, a PA-DEP certified laboratory in Kennett Square. You get the full lab report plus our plain-language guidance on what the results mean.
Water testing is recommended for any home with a private or shared well, and for older homes on public water where lead from plumbing is a concern. FHA and VA loans require specific well-water tests, and some lenders and counties have their own requirements, so confirm with your lender which package you need.
Laboratory Packages and Turnaround Time
Turnaround is in business days after the lab receives the sample.
| Package | What’s tested | Turnaround | Fee |
| Potability | Total coliform bacteria | 1 day | $25 |
| Chester County Complete | Potability, plus turbidity, color, odor, pH, nitrate, nitrite, iron, manganese, chloride, total dissolved solids, conductivity, and hardness | 5 days | $125 |
| Chester County Complete with Lead | Chester County Complete, plus lead from household plumbing | 5-6 days | $145 |
| FHA/VA | Total coliform and E. coli, pH, nitrate, nitrite, iron, MBAS (detergents), total solids, and lead (first-draw and flushed samples) | 6-7 days | $175 |
About the FHA/VA package: it’s set by lender requirements, so it’s measured against FHA/VA limits rather than the EPA guidelines used in the other packages. The pH range is narrower (6.4 to 8.0), and it reports total solids instead of total dissolved solids. It also includes MBAS, a test for detergents, which can signal wastewater from a septic system reaching the well. It does not include manganese, hardness, chloride, turbidity, color, or odor, so if you want a fuller picture of your water, ask about adding Chester County Complete.
Which package should I choose?
- FHA or VA loan: the FHA/VA package is required.
- Most well-water buyers: Chester County Complete covers the common concerns in our area: bacteria, nitrate, acidic water, iron, manganese, and hardness.
- Home built before 1991 with copper plumbing, or acidic water: add lead. Lead solder was common until 1991, and acidic water can dissolve it.
- Retest after a fix, such as a new faucet aerator after a positive bacteria result: Potability is usually enough.
How Sampling Works
- Collect lead samples first. To measure lead leaching from the house plumbing, we draw water that has sat unused in the supply lines for 8 hours or more.
- Then flush the line. For all other tests, we run the water for several minutes so the sample represents the well, not water that has been sitting in the pipes.
- Sample the faucet as-is. Under current EPA protocol, the faucet is sampled the way you’d use it, without removing the aerator or sterilizing it first.
- Use only lab-supplied containers. Each test has its own container, some with preservatives, so results aren’t affected by the bottle.
- Keep samples cold. Samples are refrigerated and delivered to the lab within its holding times.
- Explain the results. When the lab report arrives, we send it to you with guidance on what each result means and what, if anything, to do next.
Water testing can be added to a buyer or seller inspection, a Well Certification, or scheduled on its own.
Understanding Your Results
Already have your results? Each measurement in the Chester County Complete package has its own plain-language guide: what it means, when it matters, and what to do about it. Start here: Well Certification and Water Quality Testing. It explains both services and links to a guide for every result: bacteria, nitrate, pH, iron and manganese, turbidity, and hardness.
Haven’t tested yet? A lab report is a page of numbers, so here’s what you’ll receive: view a sample Chester County Complete report. This one shows a positive bacteria result, one of the most common findings, and here’s what that usually means. Every report comes with our explanation of what each number means for your home.
One piece of advice before you buy any treatment equipment: let the lab results decide. Treat what the test shows, and nothing more.
Water Quality Testing is available throughout Chester County and the surrounding counties. Schedule online or call (484) 212-1600.