Groundwater in Marshall County contains manganese, iron, lead, arsenic, chloride, and sulfate at levels that exceed EPA health standards. These contaminants reach concerning levels in your county's water.
The rock beneath Marshall County is sedimentary material from the Lower Cretaceous period that naturally contains iron and manganese minerals. As water moves slowly through these rocks over time, it dissolves these metals and picks up salt and sulfate. The local geology is the main source of these contaminants in your groundwater.
Groundwater in this county is very hard, driven by elevated calcium and magnesium minerals, and also carries high iron and moderate sulfate. The sandstone and shale rocks in this region release these minerals into the water as it flows through them. These characteristics show up in wells across Marshall County.
Wells in Marshall County commonly contain arsenic, chloride, iron, lead, manganese, and sulfate at levels that exceed EPA health standards. Arsenic can damage your kidneys and increase cancer risk with long-term exposure. Lead harms children's brain development and learning. Manganese affects the nervous system and can cause problems with movement and coordination. These contaminants pose real health risks to your family.
The very hard water in this county's wells causes significant quality-of-life problems. You will likely see rust stains on fixtures, dishes, and laundry. Scale buildup clogs pipes and reduces water pressure. The water may taste salty or bitter and smell like rotten eggs. Very hard water also shortens the lifespan of water heaters, dishwashers, and washing machines, forcing you to replace them sooner.
We recommend testing your well right away because every well is different and yours could have higher or lower levels than what is common in the county. A comprehensive metals and minerals panel costs between $200 and $400 and is the only way to know exactly what is in your water so you can treat it properly. Common treatments include reverse osmosis systems for contaminants and water softeners for hardness.
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 | 4 | 67% | Low | High ⓘ | |
| Iron | 84 | 52% | Moderate | High | |
| Lead | 28 | 44% | Moderate | High | |
| Arsenic | 25 | 29% | Moderate | High | |
| Sulfate | 20 | 26% | Moderate | High | |
| Chloride | 81 | 18% | Moderate | High | |
| Fluoride | 3 | 0% | Low | Low ⓘ | |
| Nitrite | 13 | 0% | Low | Low | |
| HFPO-DA (GenX) | 20 | 0% | Moderate | Safe | |
| PFOA | 20 | 0% | Moderate | Safe | |
| PFOS | 4 | 0% | Low | Safe ⓘ | |
| pH | 14 | — | — | Low | Low |
| Sodium | 66 | — | — | Moderate | Low |
| Nitrate | 1 | 0% | Low | Safe ⓘ | |
| Fecal Coliform | 1 | 0% | Low | Safe ⓘ | |
| Hardness | 26 | — | — | Moderate | Low |
| E. coli | 1 | 0% | 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.
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