Back yard, stop 6 of 7

Testing a private well in South Carolina

Well water testing in South Carolina is your job as the well owner, through the SC DES Private Well Program or a lab¹. Clemson lists a coliform test at $20, results in 10 to 15 days, and minerals and metals at $50, in 6 to 8 weeks. Clemson’s page may still say DHEC.

Go to the kitchen sink first, then walk out to the well head and note what’s around it.

Updated November 4, 2026, Midlands House Walk

White-capped translucent sample container sitting by a kitchen faucet — A plain water sample container with a white cap on a kitchen counter next to the sink. The lab’s container and its directions are what count. AI-generated picture.

Wooden pump shed with a metal pipe rising beside it among pines — A small wooden pump house with a metal well pipe, pines behind. Note anything stored around yours before you take a sample. AI-generated picture.

What's around the well?

Look for: Walk around the well head. Note any chemicals, fuel cans or animal pens close by, and anything that has changed since your last test.
What it tells you: Those notes help you decide what to ask the lab about. Clemson sets out the two main tests: coliform for bacteria, and minerals and metals covering iron, manganese, lead, copper and pH¹.

Green septic cover in sandy ground with pines in the background — A closed septic riser lid in a sandy yard with pines behind. Pace off the distance from yours to the well. AI-generated picture.

How far is the septic?

Look for: Pace from the well to your tank lid, if you know where it is. Don’t open the lid to check. Don’t lean over it either.
What it tells you: South Carolina’s minimum is 75 feet between septic and well². Short of that, mention it to the lab and a well contractor. Can’t find the tank? See finding the septic tank.

Rust-colored streak from faucet to drain in a white basin — An orange iron stain from faucet to drain on a white sink. This is what makes people reach for a minerals test. AI-generated picture.

Is the water leaving a mark?

Look for: Check the sinks, the toilet tank and the laundry for orange or black marks. Color and stains can help you choose which test to order.
What it tells you: Clean-looking water can still fail a test, and a stain doesn’t say how much is there. The minerals and metals test puts a number on it¹. Orange stains and grit goes through what to do next.

Muddy road edge with fence sections flattened and a sign down — Silt across a road and yard edge with fences flat after the October 2015 flood, Forest Acres community, Columbia, SC. A flood changes the testing question.

Has it been under water?

Look for: Look for silt or a water line near the well. If you find it, stop here and don’t take a routine sample. The pump stays off.
What it tells you: EPA’s flooded-well steps come first, and the bacteria test comes 7 to 10 days after disinfection³. A well that went under floodwater has the order.

Can city water customers send in a sample?

No. Clemson says public-supply customers can’t send samples to SC DES¹. Columbia Water also warns about unnecessary treatment sales and in-home tests used to create a false impression⁴. If you’re not sure who supplies you, read the name on the bill, and who to call can help. Fees here are as Clemson lists them, read November 4, 2026.

Yours to do

Ask the SC DES Private Well Program or a lab how to get a container and how to take the sample¹.
Order coliform for bacteria and minerals and metals for iron, lead and the like¹.
Keep each report with its date, so you can see what changes.

For a licensed pro

The lab reading: the program or lab tells you what the number means.
A well or pump contractor if the test shows bacteria or something that needs fixing.
Any treatment decision, once you have the results.

Where this comes from

Keep walking (AI picture)Orange stains and grit from a well