Groundwater in Williams County contains arsenic, chloride, iron, lead, manganese, and sulfate. Several of these contaminants exceed EPA health standards, making this a serious concern for your well water.
These contaminants come from the rock layers beneath the county. Iron and manganese dissolve naturally when groundwater sits in contact with minerals in the bedrock. Arsenic and lead are locked in the rock itself. Chloride enters from road salt and farm runoff. Sulfate comes from minerals like gypsum within the same rock layers.
Groundwater in this county is very hard, driven by elevated calcium and magnesium, with very high iron concentration as the most notable feature. The slow movement of water through the local rock layers allows extended contact that dissolves these minerals and metals. These characteristics are widespread across wells in Williams County.
Wells in Williams County commonly have arsenic, chloride, iron, lead, manganese, and sulfate at levels that exceed EPA health standards. Arsenic is a poison that increases cancer risk and can damage skin over many years of exposure. Lead harms children's brain development and learning. Manganese can also affect children's brains even at moderate levels. Chloride at high levels stresses kidneys.
The mineral content in county wells causes serious quality-of-life problems. Iron stains sinks, toilets, and laundry orange or rust-colored. Manganese leaves dark brown or black stains that are hard to remove. The water is extremely hard, which means thick white scale builds up on pipes and inside water heaters and dishwashers--this buildup can shorten how long these appliances last. The water may also taste metallic or bitter from the sulfate.
We recommend testing your well right away because every well is different and yours 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. Since multiple contaminants exceed health standards, a comprehensive metals and minerals panel is recommended, which typically costs $200-400. Treatment options like water softeners combined with iron removal systems or reverse osmosis can address these concerns.
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 | 160 | 94% | High | High | |
| Manganese | 155 | 12% | High | Moderate | |
| Sulfate | 103 | 7% | High | Moderate | |
| Arsenic | 79 | 5% | Moderate | Moderate | |
| Chloride | 159 | 3% | High |
Moderate
Elevated concentration, not % above limit
|
|
| Lead | 83 | 1% | Moderate | Low | |
| Fluoride | 137 | 0% | High | Low | |
| HFPO-DA (GenX) ⓘ municipal | 4 | 0% | Low | Safe ⓘ | |
| Nitrite | 99 | 0% | Moderate | Low | |
| PFHxS ⓘ municipal | 4 | 0% | Low | Safe ⓘ | |
| PFNA ⓘ municipal | 4 | 0% | Low | Safe ⓘ | |
| PFOA ⓘ municipal | 4 | 0% | Low | Safe ⓘ | |
| PFOS ⓘ municipal | 4 | 0% | Low | Safe ⓘ | |
| Radon | 6 | 0% | Low | Low ⓘ | |
| Uranium | 13 | 0% | Low | Low | |
| Nitrate | 49 | 0% | Moderate | Low | |
| E. coli | 4* | 0% | Low | Low ⓘ | |
| Hardness | 143 | — | High | Low | |
| PFBS ⓘ municipal | 4 | — | Low | Safe ⓘ | |
| pH | 157 | — | High | Low | |
| Sodium | 160 | — | High | Low | |
| Total Coliform | 4* | 0% | Low | 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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