Groundwater in Wood County contains sulfate, iron, manganese, arsenic, chloride, lead, and nitrate. Several of these contaminants exceed EPA health standards and warrant attention from well owners.
The bedrock beneath Wood County naturally contains iron-bearing minerals and sulfate-rich deposits that dissolve into groundwater as it moves slowly through cracks and fractures in the rock. Chloride enters the water from road salt and farm runoff. Arsenic and lead occur naturally in the rock layers themselves.
Groundwater in Wood County is very hard, with elevated calcium and magnesium from the limestone and dolomite below, and contains notably high sulfate and moderate iron. The slow movement of water through the carbonate rock gives it extended contact time to dissolve these minerals. These characteristics are widespread across wells in this county.
Wells in this county exceed EPA health standards for arsenic, lead, nitrate, and manganese. Arsenic can cause cancer and organ damage with long-term exposure. Lead harms children's brain development and learning even at low levels. Nitrate reduces blood's ability to carry oxygen, especially in infants. Manganese can damage the nervous system and affect brain function over time.
The mineral content creates real quality-of-life problems. Wells in this county are extremely hard, leaving thick white crusty buildup on fixtures and shortening the lifespan of water heaters and dishwashers. Iron causes rust-colored or orange staining on sinks, toilets, and laundry. High sulfate levels can give water a bitter taste. Chloride can make water taste salty.
We recommend testing your well with a comprehensive metals and minerals panel, since multiple contaminants exceed standards here. Every well is different--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 and can identify all these concerns at once. Treatment options like reverse osmosis systems or oxidation filtration combined with water softeners can address multiple problems.
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 ⓘ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sulfate | 103 | 70% | High | High | |
| Iron | 145 | 31% | High | High | |
| Manganese | 140 | 9% | High | Moderate | |
| Chloride | 139 | 7% | High | Moderate | |
| Lead | 95 | 2% | Moderate | Low | |
| Nitrate | 92 | 1% | Moderate | Low | |
| Arsenic | 121 | 1% | High | Low | |
| Fluoride | 126 | 0% | High | Low | |
| HFPO-DA (GenX) ⓘ municipal | 23 | 0% | Moderate | Safe | |
| Nitrite | 88 | 0% | Moderate | Low | |
| PFHxS ⓘ municipal | 23 | 0% | Moderate | Safe | |
| PFNA ⓘ municipal | 23 | 0% | Moderate | Safe | |
| PFOA ⓘ municipal | 23 | 0% | Moderate | Safe | |
| PFOS ⓘ municipal | 23 | 0% | Moderate | Safe | |
| Radon | 1 | 0% | Low | Low ⓘ | |
| Uranium | 31 | 0% | Moderate | Low | |
| pH | 140 | — | High | Low | |
| Sodium | 141 | — | High | Low | |
| Hardness | 134 | — | High | Low | |
| PFBS ⓘ municipal | 23 | — | Moderate | 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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