Well owners in Clay County should be aware that their groundwater contains manganese, iron, arsenic, and lead. These contaminants reach levels high enough that they exceed EPA health standards, making them a real concern for your household water.
These metals come from the rock layers beneath Clay County. The Lower Cretaceous rocks here naturally contain iron and manganese, and water moving through them picks up these metals over time. Arsenic and lead also occur naturally in these deeper rock layers, leaching into the groundwater as water flows through.
Groundwater in this county is very hard, driven by elevated iron and sulfate that concentrate in the water as it moves through the rock below. The deep rock layers here are rich in minerals that dissolve into the water, and this pattern is widespread across Clay County wells.
Wells in Clay County commonly contain arsenic, iron, lead, manganese, and sulfate at levels above EPA health standards. Arsenic and lead are serious concerns because they can damage your kidneys and nervous system, and lead is especially harmful to children's brain development. Manganese at high levels can affect your brain and nervous system over time. Iron and sulfate, while also exceeding standards, pose their own health risks when present at elevated concentrations.
The very hard water in county wells causes stubborn staining on fixtures and dishes. Scale builds up inside pipes and water heaters, which shortens the lifespan of these appliances and your dishwasher. You may notice a metallic or bitter taste in your water, or smell rotten eggs from sulfate. These problems make daily use frustrating and increase repair costs.
Testing is the only way to know what is actually in your well, since every well in the county is different. We recommend a comprehensive metals and minerals panel to check all the contaminants of concern here, which typically costs between $200 and $400. Based on your results, treatment options like reverse osmosis systems or whole-house filters can remove or reduce these contaminants to protect your family.
Not sure if your well is affected? Get certified results in 5–7 days.
Test Your Well Water with Tap Score →| Contaminant | Samples ⓘ | % Above MCL ⓘ | Distribution ⓘ | Confidence ⓘ | Risk ⓘ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Manganese | 3 | 100% | Low | High ⓘ | |
| Iron | 77 | 62% | Moderate | High | |
| Arsenic | 53 | 48% | Moderate | High | |
| Sulfate | 69 | 29% | Moderate | High | |
| Lead | 43 | 12% | Moderate | Moderate | |
| Uranium | 41 | 0% | Moderate | Low | |
| Nitrite | 18 | 0% | Moderate | Low | |
| PFOS ⓘ municipal | 8 | 0% | Low | Safe ⓘ | |
| HFPO-DA (GenX) ⓘ municipal | 8 | 0% | Low | Safe ⓘ | |
| PFOA ⓘ municipal | 8 | 0% | Low | Safe ⓘ | |
| PFNA ⓘ municipal | 8 | 0% | Low | Safe ⓘ | |
| PFHxS ⓘ municipal | 8 | 0% | Low | Safe ⓘ | |
| Fluoride | 31 | 0% | Moderate | Low | |
| Chloride | 3 | 0% | Low | Low ⓘ | |
| E. coli | 1 | 0% | Low | Safe ⓘ | |
| Total Coliform | 1 | 0% | Low | Safe ⓘ | |
| Fecal Coliform | 1 | 0% | Low | Safe ⓘ | |
| Hardness | 24 | — | — | Moderate | Low |
| Nitrate | 1 | 0% | Low | Safe ⓘ | |
| Sodium | 68 | — | — | Moderate | Low |
| pH | 10 | — | — | Low | Low |
| PFBS ⓘ municipal | 8 | — | Low | Safe ⓘ |
MCL = Maximum Contaminant Level (EPA limit for public water; used as benchmark for private wells). Distribution shows % of sampled wells in each concentration band. Methodology.
Data shows potential risk — a certified test confirms whether your water is affected.
Order a Tap Score Test →Population-level CDC data. Not individual risk prediction.
Loading recent water news…