Certified labs by state
New York
New York routes private-well guidance through the New York State Department of Health (NYSDOH), including its Private Wells pages, testing recommendations, and Private Well Risk Mapper. Current state information also highlights region-specific risks such as naturally occurring arsenic and contamination related to flooding, agriculture, and PFAS in selected counties.
Checked against official sources on October 4, 2026. Rules and links change; confirm with the office listed before you act.
- Certifies drinking water labs
- New York State Department of Health (NYSDOH) Environmental Laboratory Approval Program (ELAP)
- Free or low-cost testing
- NYSDOH's Private Well PFAS Testing and Mitigation Rebate Pilot Program offers limited free PFAS testing in Dutchess, Orange, Putnam, Suffolk, Ulster, and Westchester Counties; Suffolk County also has its own private well testing program with a low-income fee exemption and no-fee aldicarb testing in certain agricultural areas.
Official resources in New York
Main state hub for private well owners, linking to testing guidance, risk mapping, restoration after contamination, and the PFAS pilot program.
State testing schedule for private wells, including which contaminants to test and how often.
State fact sheet listing recommended residential well tests and additional contaminants tied to regional geology or nearby land uses.
Official state program page for limited free PFAS testing and mitigation rebates in selected counties.
Key facts for New York
- NYSDOH says private well owners should test for bacteria every year and other contaminants every 3-5 years.
- NYSDOH recommends 3-5 year testing for lead, nitrate/nitrite, arsenic, iron/manganese, turbidity, pH, hardness, and alkalinity.
- NYSDOH Fact Sheet #3 lists regionally occurring contaminants that may merit extra testing: barium, fluoride, methane, radium, radon, and uranium.
- NYSDOH Fact Sheet #3 flags intensive agriculture areas for nitrate, pesticides, arsenic, and coliform bacteria concerns.
- New York's Private Well Risk Mapper shows risks from flooding, agricultural runoff, naturally occurring arsenic, and carbonate bedrock conditions.
- The NYSDOH PFAS pilot offers limited free private-well PFAS testing in Dutchess, Orange, Putnam, Suffolk, Ulster, and Westchester Counties.
What to do next
- Use the NYS ELAP lab search to choose a potable-water lab, then ask the lab which bottles and sampling instructions match the contaminants you need tested.
- Start with NYSDOH's routine schedule, then add tests based on your location and risks shown in the Private Well Risk Mapper or nearby land uses.
- If you live in one of the six PFAS pilot counties, check the NYSDOH pilot page before paying for PFAS sampling because free state testing may be available when applications are open.
Helpful guides
- How to choose a state-certified drinking water lab
- What to test your private well water for (and how often)
- How to collect a well water sample without ruining the test
- How to read a water test report: MCLs, units and flags