Lucas County groundwater contains iron, manganese, chloride, nitrate, lead, and sulfate at levels that exceed EPA health standards. These contaminant levels are serious and require action.
These metals and minerals dissolve naturally from the bedrock as groundwater sits in contact with rock layers over time. The county's flat terrain and dense glacial clay above the aquifer slow water movement, allowing more time for minerals to dissolve into the water. Road salt applied to highways also contributes chloride to the groundwater.
Groundwater in Lucas County is very hard, driven by elevated calcium and magnesium from the bedrock below. Iron and manganese dissolve directly from the rock as water moves slowly through it. These hard-water characteristics with elevated iron and manganese are common across wells throughout the county.
Wells in Lucas County commonly have chloride, iron, lead, manganese, nitrate, and sulfate at levels exceeding EPA health standards. Lead damages children's brain development and can harm the nervous system at any age. Manganese can affect nervous system function over time. Nitrate poses serious risks to infants and young children. Iron, chloride, and sulfate are also health concerns at the levels found here.
The water in this county is extremely hard, which means scale will build up inside pipes, water heaters, and dishwashers--shortening their lifespan. Iron causes rust-colored or orange-brown staining on sinks, toilets, and laundry. The high sulfate and sodium levels can give the water a bitter or salty taste. These minerals create visible buildup that affects daily life.
We recommend testing your well with a comprehensive metals and minerals panel, since multiple analytes exceed health standards. Every well is different, and your well may have higher or lower levels than what is common in the county. Testing is the only way to know what is actually in your water so it can be properly treated. A comprehensive panel typically costs $200-400. Treatment options like water softeners combined with iron filtration can address multiple issues.
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 ⓘ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Iron | 126 | 44% | High | High | |
| Sulfate | 100 | 30% | High | High | |
| Manganese | 120 | 19% | High | High | |
| Chloride | 2349 | 11% | High | Moderate | |
| Lead | 87 | 6% | Moderate | Moderate | |
| Nitrate | 88 | 1% | Moderate | Low | |
| Arsenic | 89 | 0% | Moderate | Low | |
| Fluoride | 120 | 0% | High | Low | |
| HFPO-DA (GenX) ⓘ municipal | 28 | 0% | Moderate | Safe | |
| Nitrite | 79 | 0% | Moderate | Low | |
| PFHxS ⓘ municipal | 28 | 0% | Moderate | Safe | |
| PFNA ⓘ municipal | 30 | 0% | Moderate | Safe | |
| PFOA ⓘ municipal | 31 | 0% | Moderate | Safe | |
| PFOS ⓘ municipal | 28 | 0% | Moderate | Safe | |
| Uranium | 26 | 0% | Moderate | Low | |
| Hardness | 106 | — | High | Low | |
| PFBS ⓘ municipal | 28 | — | Moderate | Safe | |
| pH | 977 | — | High | Low | |
| Sodium | 2252 | — | High | Low |
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.
* Microbial contaminants (E. coli, coliform) reflect only samples from the last 10 years.
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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