Groundwater in Hale County contains arsenic, chloride, and sulfate among other contaminants. Several of these exceed EPA health standards, including arsenic, chloride, fluoride, iron, manganese, nitrate, and sulfate, so testing your well is important.
These contaminants come from natural sources in the rock layers of the High Plains aquifer beneath the county. As water moves slowly through sand and gravel underground, it dissolves minerals and picks up arsenic and other naturally occurring elements from the rock itself. Agricultural activity also adds nitrate from fertilizers used in this farming region.
Groundwater in this county is very hard, driven by elevated calcium and magnesium from the rock layers below. Water in this area picks up these minerals as it travels through the underground sand and gravel, and the high sodium levels in the water add to the mineral character. These hard-water characteristics show up across wells throughout the county, though individual wells vary in exactly what they contain.
Hale County well water can contain arsenic, chloride, fluoride, iron, manganese, nitrate, and sulfate at levels above EPA health standards. Arsenic can damage your kidneys and increase cancer risk over time. Fluoride at elevated levels can harm bone health and tooth development in children. Nitrate poses a serious threat to infants, who cannot process it safely. Manganese can affect the developing brain in young children.
The water in this county is very hard, which creates stubborn white scale buildup on fixtures and inside pipes. Iron causes rust stains on sinks, toilets, and laundry. Hard water makes soap less effective for cleaning and washing clothes. The extremely hard water here can shorten the lifespan of water heaters and dishwashers. Some people notice a salty or metallic taste in their water.
Testing your well is the only way to know what is actually in your water, since every well is different and your levels may be higher or lower than what is common in the county. We recommend a comprehensive metals and minerals panel, which costs between $200 and $400. Treatment options like reverse osmosis systems or water softeners can address these concerns once you know what you are dealing with.
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 ⓘ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Arsenic | 152 | 11% | High | Moderate | |
| Sulfate | 10 | 10% | Low | Moderate | |
| Chloride | 10 | 10% | Low | Moderate | |
| Manganese | 163 | 6% | High | Moderate | |
| Nitrate | 33 | 3% | Moderate |
Moderate
Elevated concentration, not % above limit
|
|
| Iron | 168 | 3% | High | Low | |
| Fluoride | 323 | 1% | High | Low | |
| HFPO-DA (GenX) ⓘ municipal | 12 | 0% | Low | Safe | |
| Lead | 149 | 0% | High | Low | |
| Nitrite | 10 | 0% | Low | Low | |
| PFHxS ⓘ municipal | 12 | 0% | Low | Safe | |
| PFNA ⓘ municipal | 12 | 0% | Low | Safe | |
| PFOA ⓘ municipal | 12 | 0% | Low | Safe | |
| PFOS ⓘ municipal | 12 | 0% | Low | Safe | |
| Radon | 7 | 0% | Low | Low ⓘ | |
| Uranium | 53 | 0% | Moderate | Low | |
| E. coli | 1* | 0% | Low | Safe ⓘ | |
| Hardness | 10 | — | Low | Low | |
| PFBS ⓘ municipal | 12 | — | Low | Safe | |
| pH | 10 | — | Low | Low | |
| Sodium | 10 | — | Low | Low | |
| Total Coliform | 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.
* 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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