Certified labs by state
South Carolina
In South Carolina, private drinking wells are permitted and inspected by the South Carolina Department of Environmental Services (SCDES), but the state does not regulate the actual water quality of private wells after installation. Residents typically use SCDES for sample kits and state well guidance, Clemson Extension for private-well education, and SCDES’s certified-lab search when they need commercial testing beyond the basic state well program.
Checked against official sources on October 4, 2026. Rules and links change; confirm with the office listed before you act.
- Certifies drinking water labs
- South Carolina Department of Environmental Services (SCDES), Office of Environmental Laboratory Certification
- Official certified lab list
- Official page →
- Free or low-cost testing
- SCDES says residents age 65+ or on public assistance can receive one free annual coliform test and one free annual metals/minerals analysis, first-time permitted private well owners may get their first coliform test at no extra charge, and the state radon program offers free short-term home radon kits subject to availability.
Official resources in South Carolina
Explains South Carolina’s private well sample kits, basic test options, fee-waiver eligibility, PFAS well assessment, and when to use a commercial laboratory.
Covers South Carolina’s private well permitting and inspection program, including the Notice of Intent process and well standards.
Official SCDES page for searching certified commercial environmental laboratories, including filters for Drinking Water and categories like Microbiology, Trace Metals, and Radiologicals.
Free Clemson Cooperative Extension course for South Carolina private-well owners on groundwater, well components, maintenance, and water-quality issues.
Official state radon page with free-home-test information and South Carolina guidance on radon in air and private well water.
Key facts for South Carolina
- SCDES’s Office of Environmental Laboratory Certification certifies environmental labs for Drinking Water under South Carolina Regulation 61-81. (SCDES Environmental Laboratory Certification)
- SCDES says it does not regulate the water quality of private wells; owners are responsible for testing and treatment. (SCDES Well Water Quality Testing Services)
- SCDES residential well testing offers a coliform bacteria kit and a metals/minerals panel including nitrate/nitrite and lead. (SCDES Well Water Quality Testing Services)
- Clemson’s South Carolina Home*A*Syst says private wells should be tested at least annually for bacteria, nitrates, pH, and total dissolved solids. (Clemson Home*A*Syst)
- South Carolina’s water assessment reports uranium above 30 µg/L in scattered wells in southeastern Greenville County and adjacent areas; high radium and radon also occur there. (South Carolina Water Assessment)
- The same assessment says higher dissolved solids and manganese tend to occur in the Carolina slate belt and near gabbroic plutons; pH, chloride, fluoride, and nitrate exceed standards in some areas. (South Carolina Water Assessment)
What to do next
- Start with SCDES’s residential well page to request the basic bacteria and metals/minerals kit, then compare results against the booklet and Clemson’s Be Well Informed guidance.
- If your home is in uranium- or radium-bearing rock areas, consider both indoor radon testing and asking a certified commercial lab about radiological well-water testing.
- Use the SCDES certified-lab search and filter for Drinking Water plus Microbiology, Trace Metals, or Radiologicals when you need tests SCDES does not offer, such as VOCs, pesticides, or radon-in-water.
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