Home › North Carolina › Wake County NC Well Water Testing: County Lab Prices ($25 Bacteria, $175 Package) · Last updated 2026-10-29

Wake County, NC well water testing: county lab packages and prices

Short answer: Order testing from Wake County's Onsite Water Protection Division through its online Permit Portal. County staff collect samples for a $50 trip fee, and the First Timer's Package costs $175. You can also pick up bottles and drop off your own bacteria sample ($25) or inorganics sample ($50) at the county Water Quality Lab in Raleigh.

Wake County says more than 40,000 households in the county rely on private wells. [source] USGS's 2015 county estimate put the self-supplied population at about 137,000. [source]

How to order county testing

Prices (Wake County fee list)

Fees as listed by Wake County, which calls the page a complete list of the tests it offers. The list doesn't include a PFAS test. [source]

What and how often to test

• Every year: coliform bacteria, for all well users.
• Every 2 to 5 years: the full inorganic panel.
• Every 5 years: volatile organic compounds, pesticides and the radiological tests. If you've never tested, or it's been more than five years, the county recommends the First Timer's Package.
• More often: for any contaminant found at any level, or as your treatment system's installer and manufacturer direct. [source] [source]

NC State Extension says the best time for yearly testing is spring or summer following a rainy period. [source]

Uranium and radon in eastern Wake County

Wake County expects one in five wells in eastern Wake County to have unsafe levels of naturally occurring contamination. Search your address on the county's map; if you're in the colored area, the county recommends the Rads Package. In the short term, too much uranium in drinking water can cause kidney toxicity. Over the long term, too much uranium or radium in drinking water, or radon in water you drink or bathe in, can raise the risk of certain cancers. [source]

For high uranium, gross alpha or gross beta results, the county says a short-term option is to switch to bottled water. For high radon in water, run the bathroom exhaust fan during showers and for 30 minutes afterward. It also recommends testing your home's indoor air for radon. [source]

Getting your results

Bacteria results are usually ready within 48 hours; other tests can take 2–4 weeks. If Wake County did the testing, you'll get an email with the results and guidance, the full lab report is on the Permit Portal, and a simplified version can be searched by address on the county's Well Water Analysis Results page. The county's Be Well Informed tool turns results into recommendations, and it holds technical assistance meetings for well users. [source]

If coliform is found

Wake County's disinfection guidelines call for pouring 24 ounces of bleach per 100 gallons of water in the well (a 6-inch well holds 1.5 gallons per foot) through the vent hole, running every tap until you smell chlorine, and leaving it in the plumbing for 24 hours. Then flush it out with a hose, as far from the septic system as possible, and resample at least 24 hours after all the chlorine has left the system. Because boiling concentrates nitrates, young infants and pregnant women should use bottled water rather than boiled tap water after bacteria are confirmed. [source] See our coliform guide.

Help paying for testing

Households at or below the federal poverty level can have their well tested for the most common contaminants for $73, and households with incomes up to 2.5 times the poverty level for $182.50. To apply, mail a testing request, a notarized affidavit of eligibility and a check or money order for the full amount to Wake County Onsite Water Protection Well Testing, P.O. Box 550, Raleigh, NC 27602. The county offers free notarization at its Eastern (Zebulon), Northern (Wake Forest) and Southern (Fuquay-Varina) Regional Centers and at Environmental Services Customer Support, 336 Fayetteville St., Raleigh. [source]

Buying or selling a home

Wake County says to allow at least 4–5 weeks for testing. A private lab may be faster, and the county may offer a paid rush on some of its tests, though some tests take a set amount of time. [source] See our home-buying checklist.

Other certified labs

You don't have to use Wake County, but the county says to use a lab certified by the N.C. Division of Public Health for the tests you need. [source] Search the State Laboratory certified laboratory search. [source] NC State Extension says your county Extension office can also provide a list of certified water quality labs. [source]

See our North Carolina guide for the statewide testing schedule.

FAQ

Where can I get my well water tested in Wake County, North Carolina?

Order testing from Wake County's Onsite Water Protection Division through its online Permit Portal. County staff collect samples for a $50 trip fee, and the First Timer's Package costs $175. You can also pick up bottles and drop off your own bacteria sample ($25) or inorganics sample ($50) at the county Water Quality Lab in Raleigh.

How much does well water testing cost in Wake County, NC?

Wake County's fee list shows a $50 trip fee whenever county staff collect samples, $175 for the First Timer's Package and $140 for the Rads Package. A self-collected coliform bacteria test is $25 and the full inorganic panel is $50.

Can I collect my own well water sample in Wake County?

Yes, for bacteria and inorganics only. Pick up containers at the Water Quality Lab or a regional center and return them with payment to the lab at 200 Swinburne St., Raleigh, Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. County staff collect all other tests.

Should I test for uranium and radon in Wake County?

Wake County expects one in five wells in eastern Wake County to have unsafe levels of naturally occurring contamination. If your address is in the colored area on its map, it recommends the Rads Package, which tests uranium, gross alpha and beta, and radon in water.

Informational only, not health, medical, legal or real-estate advice. Programs and fees change; confirm with the official source. See our disclaimer and affiliate disclosure.