Well owners in Wayne County should be aware of radon, iron, and arsenic in their groundwater. Several of these contaminants exceed EPA health standards, making them concerning.
These contaminants come from the rock beneath Wayne County. Radon forms naturally from radioactive minerals inside the bedrock. Iron and arsenic dissolve into groundwater as water moves through the fractured rock layers. Chloride and the fluorinated chemicals PFOA and PFOS enter from human activities like road salt and industrial sources.
Groundwater in Wayne County is moderately hard, driven by calcium and magnesium from the local rock. The moderate iron levels measured in county wells come from minerals in the fractured bedrock that dissolve slowly as water passes through. Moderately hard water with moderate iron appears across many tested wells in this county.
Wells in Wayne County commonly contain arsenic, chloride, iron, manganese, PFOA, PFOS, and radon at levels exceeding EPA health standards. Arsenic builds up in your body over time and can damage your kidneys and increase cancer risk. Radon is a radioactive gas that enters your lungs when released from water and raises the risk of lung cancer with long-term exposure. Manganese can affect brain development in children and damage your nervous system. PFOA and PFOS are industrial chemicals linked to serious health effects with repeated exposure.
Wells in this county are moderately hard, which means you will see white scale buildup on pipes, faucets, and water heaters. Iron can stain sinks, toilets, and laundry reddish-brown and may give water a metallic taste. Hard water can shorten the lifespan of water heaters and dishwashers. Some people notice cloudiness or sediment in their water from mineral content.
We recommend a comprehensive metals and radon panel to find out what is actually in your well, since multiple contaminants exceed health standards. Every well is different--yours could have higher or lower levels than what is common in the county. Testing is the only way to know what treatment your well needs. A comprehensive panel typically costs $200-400 and can identify which contaminants require treatment like aeration systems or activated carbon filters.
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 ⓘ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Radon | 131 | 95% | High | High ⓘ | |
| Iron | 171 | 7% | High | Moderate | |
| Arsenic | 166 | 5% | High |
Moderate
Elevated concentration, not % above limit
|
|
| Manganese | 168 | 5% | High |
Moderate
Elevated concentration, not % above limit
|
|
| PFOS ⓘ municipal | 288 | 4% | High |
Moderate
Elevated concentration, not % above limit
|
|
| PFOA ⓘ municipal | 288 | 2% | High | Low | |
| Chloride | 175 | 1% | High | Low | |
| Lead | 150 | 0% | High | Low | |
| Nitrate | 175 | 0% | High | Low | |
| PFHxS ⓘ municipal | 18 | 0% | Moderate | Safe | |
| PFNA ⓘ municipal | 18 | 0% | Moderate | Safe | |
| Sulfate | 176 | 0% | High | Low | |
| HFPO-DA (GenX) ⓘ municipal | 265 | 0% | High | Safe | |
| Fluoride | 167 | 0% | High | Low | |
| Nitrite | 168 | 0% | High | Low | |
| Uranium | 145 | 0% | High | Low | |
| Hardness | 174 | — | High | Low | |
| Total Coliform | 4* | 0% | Low | Low ⓘ | |
| Sodium | 170 | — | High | Low | |
| pH | 174 | — | High | Low | |
| PFBS ⓘ municipal | 265 | — | High | Low | |
| E. coli | 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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