Sep 1, 2026 · 5 min read· Summarize in ChatGPT
The hallmarks of a problem with a private well include discoloration, a rotten-egg smell, a change in taste, or issues with how the water flows. But your drinking water can suffer from serious complications, including elevated levels of arsenic and radon, without any outward sign.
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) sets and enforces standards for public drinking water, including periodic testing for contaminants. But homeowners on a private well are responsible for testing their own systems.
Because the rock formations in the aquifers around Maryland, Virginia, and West Virginia can leach arsenic, manganese, lead, nitrates, and other contaminants into a home’s water supply, homeowners on private wells in the area should periodically have their well water tested by a laboratory.
| In this article: Learn how certain dissolved minerals and gases, including arsenic, radon, manganese, and nitrates, can go unnoticed in your drinking water, and what a lab-based water panel measures. |
Why Some Dissolved Minerals Produce No Change in Taste or Appearance
Whether a contaminant in well water can be seen or smelled depends on some complicated chemistry and how it exists in the water. Iron, for example, can be fully dissolved in water and invisible to the naked eye until it reacts with oxygen. At that point, it can be seen as rust-colored stains on fixtures and plumbing.
Water infiltrated by dirt or clay will look muddy or reddish because dirt and clay don’t fully dissolve in water; they remain as suspended particles. Light passing through the water hits the particles and is scattered, giving the water that distinctive muddy look.
Unlike dirt and clay, arsenic, manganese, and similar inorganic compounds dissolve into groundwater not as suspended particles but as individual ions that don’t block light. This allows them to reach high levels of concentration without any noticeable trace.
Simply put, the human senses can’t register some of these compounds at levels that become a concern for health and safety. Fortunately, a laboratory can test for them.
Arsenic in Well Water and the Role of Regional Geology
Arsenic is a chemical element, classified as a metalloid on the periodic table, that occurs naturally in soil, rocks, and minerals. When rainwater settles into the ground and filters its way to the deeper aquifers, it can carry some of this arsenic with it.
At the same time, a residential well pump can be placed in a rock formation that is naturally high in arsenic. The arsenic from the rock can leach into the water surrounding the pump and find its way into the home.
Many of the aquifers from which Maryland, Virginia, and West Virginia homeowners get their water sit in rock formations that are naturally high in arsenic. This is especially true in Virginia’s Culpeper Basin, Maryland’s coastal plains, and the central region of West Virginia.
Well depth and dumb luck also play a part. Neighboring wells placed just 200 feet apart can find different fracture systems in the aquifer and have different chemistries. One well may be placed in an area naturally high in arsenic, while the other isn’t, with no way to predict it when the well is placed.
Other Naturally Occurring Compounds Sensory Testing Misses
A well’s environment may have other naturally occurring elements and compounds that shouldn’t be in drinking water.
Radon gas is a radioactive element that forms when uranium decays, and uranium is present in the granite rocks underneath much of the Tri-State area. Water passing through these granite formations can dissolve the radon and carry it into a residential well, where it then shows up in the home. Radon is odorless, colorless, and tasteless.
Like radon and arsenic, manganese is a naturally occurring element that leaches into groundwater from the surrounding rock. But unlike arsenic and radon, manganese is an essential mineral, meaning that your body needs it. However, at high enough doses it becomes toxic and can lead to health problems that include muscle rigidity, fatigue, weakness, and irritability.
Nitrates in drinking water represent a different issue. They typically originate from agricultural land use and enter a well system through cracks or gaps in the well’s cap, casing or absorption from the ground into the soil.
What a Lab Panel Measures That the Senses Cannot Detect
A lab upon request can check for many contaminants that are invisible to the naked eye or otherwise undetectable at levels that are problematic. A few things you may request include arsenic, manganese, radon, and nitrates, as well as coliform bacteria, lead, and PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances).
Each contaminant requires a specific test. As part of our service, Tri-County Pumps provides a free analysis for iron, pH, and hardness, but many issues affecting water quality require lab-based tests, which is an additional cost.
If lab testing identifies something such as elevated arsenic, steps can be taken to address it. A point-of-entry treatment system, for example, is a typical first line of defense. Once your results are in hand, our water specialist can walk you through water treatment options to remove arsenic and other contaminants from well water.
Schedule a Full Water Panel With Tri-County
The bedrock under your property has a large effect on your water quality, and a laboratory-based water test can show you what contaminants are entering your system. Once we identify a problem, our team can help you determine the right plan for your home.
At Tri-County Pump Service, we’ve been family-owned and operated since 1991 and are proud to serve our local communities in Maryland, Virginia, and West Virginia. If you’re on a private well in our service area, call Tri-County Pump Service at (301) 882-2776 or message us online to schedule a customized water panel, including arsenic in well water testing, for your MD, VA, or WV property and get a documented picture of your water’s chemistry.
